Four Impossible Things
by Arianstar
Summary: Alice left that world years ago, her ancestor is told of the land and explains things away thinking mental illness runs in her family. What happens when she drops into that land, when things have gone wrong and she has to pick up the pieces left behind?
1. If You Seek Alice

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

__A/N:_ _I will eventually get to 'The Garden Whispers' right now I'm running on dry so here is something else to hold my readers and fans over. I hope you had a great holiday, Enjoy!  
>At some point the rating may change in later chapters, have to see what happens.<em>__  
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><p><strong>Chapter 1: <strong>**If You Seek Alice  
><strong>

It was not modern by any means but she had always found she liked historical styles and themes. The house belonged to her grandmother a few greats in the mix, she did not know much about her or this side of her family. Her mother had kept things private over the years due to a misunderstanding among her and her father. It did not change the fact that her grandfather and grandmother had left everything to her. She never did know much, she spent holidays with them and was fond of both of them, there was always an unnerving quiet among them though.

"Alysia!" Slowly she turned to her mothers' voice sighing softly.

It was not that she disliked helping her mother; it was bothersome when it come to the boy next door to them. He lived at another estate and her family had been friends with them for generations, she did not much like him but he seemed enamored with her. She was easily distracted; her mother often accused her of being foolishly childish, far too whimsical for a girl in her early twenties. She did not much like the idea of being courted, it was old fashioned and she did not want to be the one he chose.

Growing impatient with her mother's calls, she descended from the attic and down the old wood stairs. Her fingers lightly tracing the intricate carved ivy before she halted noting her mother talking pleasantly with the very man she wished was not interested in her romantically or at all, if she had anything to say about it.

"Alysia, Reed has come to help me rearrange that living room. Your grandmother didn't have it finished and I would like to host gatherings with my lady friends." She smiled albeit forcefully and nodded a reluctant greeting to the tall man watching her.

It was not that he was horribly unattractive; her friends might have swooned or reprimanded her for brushing him off. He was tall with wavy dark hair that weaved down just brushing his neck and kind blue eyes; he wore old raggedy jeans and an equally old t-shirt that day. She had no doubt her mother liked him and felt she should too.

"That's very nice of you Reed." She saw her mothers' warning at her clear intention of fleeing on their guest. "I do hope you will excuse me, I'm going to make some refreshments and clear my head. It's awfully dusty up there and there aren't many windows." Taking her leave, she ignored her mothers' indignant huff sound on her way past.

Once inside the kitchen she felt a rush of calm take over her and sagged against the wood door. The coolness of the grain relaxing as she noted the temperature had risen considerably that afternoon. She went about as promised gathering things together and making several small sandwiChessur, a veggie platter and finally three kinds of juice before eyeing the hall out of the kitchen and seeing her mother pass a few times.

Her mother was waiting for her to come out of her sanctuary and face her in the library off to the side of the kitchen. She had done it often when she was younger and upset with varying families that were visiting the great Victorian house.

Slowly she walked to the furthest part of the kitchen taking the hidden passage her grandfather had told her about years ago. When she was little, he often took note to how her mother seemed determined to turn her into a replica of herself, proper, polite, and sometimes too serious for her own good. Her mother now had aged because of the lack of fun in her life and after her grandparents passed on, she was left fighting for her own whimsical nature.

She loved her mother, but whatever pain had driven her to be so serious was weighing her daughter down and forcing her to become something she did not want to be. She knew her mother did not quite understand, but she did try and often failed miserably. She also knew for a fact Reed was a very well mannered, down to earth young man and had just come back from a very strict law school for summer break. She did not want to be a lawyer's trophy and found her mother's distaste in her literature degree to be somewhat annoying. She could teach at any school she wanted, work on rare books and even restore ancient volumes in museums. Her mother found it a career that was not rewarding enough and wanted her daughter to marry a prominent businessman, lawyer, doctor, she was sure her mother was not beneath royalty either.

The gardens had not seen a day's work in months; she briefly glanced over the list of numbers in her small pocket address book and checked the number for her grandmother's favorite gardener. He was the only one she trusted with her maze of flowers and trees. Making her way along the familiar paths, she settled into a fast walk before pausing near a large oak tree. She had spent hours between forest and meadow around this very tree. She remembered fondly of hugging its branChessur and lying among the grass. Curling her legs into an Indian style position, she settled against the aged trunk and glanced up through the thick green canopy, golden streams of sun hitting her light hair. She closed her eyes dreaming of that place her grandmother had told her from generations before her.

**-past—**

"My grandmother told me it was a beautiful place, she was sad she had lost her way to Underland all those years ago." Alysia glanced up at her grandmother, her graying hair folding down her back in soft delicate waves, seeing her green eyes gaze up into the fall colored leaves as brilliant reds and yellows flowed down among them.

"Did she ever go back grandmother?"

"She tried; she found it too late to tell him. When she finally returned her journey fulfilled in her eyes, she was old darling. She was also married to a wonderful man by then and only the wings of a blue butterfly had triggered the memories. Something about how the magic works I would guess, I'm sure those that wanted her to come back had no intention of her forgetting them." Alysia frowned sadly; it seemed her family lived only to feel sadness.

"Why are you sad Ally?"

Her grandmother's nickname brought her to glance through her bangs that had fallen into her line of vision. She understood her family had not been fond of her mother's husband, nor had they entirely approved of the marriage but she had found they cared for _her_ personal feelings and often said little of their issues with him.

"I miss my father." She saw her grandmother's eyes cloud, she had been told he died in an accident and still did not believe her family.

**-Reality—**

She shook her head, it had been years later she learned he had abandoned them and been found in another country with another family. She finally understood her families' resentment, but she had never told them how she found out. She had never told any of them that she located him one day by accident and he had not known her. She also left out the part where she angrily yelled at him before fleeing into a very large crow.

She blinked nearly falling backwards when a very blue and large butterfly flew in front of her, crossing her eyes she could have sworn it winked at her before fluttering off into the woods. _"I've been in the sun too long."_ Stories and frustrations were driving her away from a sane day, slowly she climb to her feet and froze wondering if any of those stories had been true.

"Impossible." She paused remembering her grandparents' motto, 'I try to come up with at least three impossible things each day.'

It had become a game of sorts she played even in her late teens before losing them, both of them. She closed her eyes knowing Reed would still be at the house, her mother was waiting to pounce and she would not be happy. Her mother had her life planned; she had little say in the matter unless she fought it.

She would not do that without hurting her mother, shaking her head she started to go toward the path the butterfly had weaved. She walked weaving in and out of trees, ducking branches, dodging weeds and bushes before stepping over a large root and seeing the butterfly in front of her before she screamed falling into a large hole.

She stopped screaming after comprehending she had been falling for a very long time. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the gloom around her and then she began to notice oddities all around. Examples of the things were rocking chairs, wheels, tables, chairs, bookcases, pieces of flooring and even various foods. That included jam jars, one in fact almost smacked her between the eyes before she ducked, it felt strange moving in open space and due to the movement, she noticed with unease she was now upside down staring straight down into nothing.

"Upright." She breathed before somehow getting her body to cooperate. "Oomph." Just as she did so, she landed rather hard on her face, groaning painfully when her eyes fell to a checked floor. "Oh that will certainly leave marks."

Achingly she got to her knees her eyes moving quickly around a hall full of doors, in the middle of the room a massive chandelier hung swaying precariously above her head. Unsure of why she didn't like that aspect she moved from under the object and moved in a slow circle taking in the circular room with intense study.

"Impossible option one, my family history of madness is false and this is the entrance my grandmother told me stories of." She stifled laughter touching the small lump on the back of her head remembering her adventure down the hole and hitting a root on her way. "Waking up would be good now." She winced knowing from experience that usually you did not hurt in your dreams.

On the other side of a small door, a mouse and her companions watched with alarm. Each looking at the other in complete confusion and concern about the strange girl landing into their world, she was not the one they all knew.

"That is certainly not _Alice_." MallyMkun stated raising her hatpin with the control of a warrior and seeing the March hare with Mctwisp stare at her in alarm.


	2. Beastly

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N:_ _Chapter two and others coming along nicely :)  
>At some point the rating may change in later chapters, have to see what happens.<br>_

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><p><strong><strong>Chapter 2: <strong>**Beastly****

"Absolem directed her here…she must be special if he did that." Mctwisp saw her reluctantly lower her weapon and gaze up at the mad March Hare at her side; all he did was shrug throwing the object in his hand. It landed over by some movement in the flowers over to their side. "We don't have much choice, Mirana will know."

"What about,"

"He is in no state to see her, she isn't Alice and Mirana sent us for a reason." Offered another voice from seemingly thin air invisible to those standing there observing the girl.

"Chessur?" Slowly a large grin appeared followed by dark green eyes and pointed ears. The cat appearing from his smoke floated slowly down to their side before his tail twitched indicating his own disquiet.

"She is already muttering about dreams, at least she reminds me of Alice." MallyMkun murmured snorting at the woman still staring around the circular room. "She has light brown hair and green eyes, she isn't who we need."

"Absolem brought her." Cheshire warned noting her pin back her mouse ears and glare up annoyed with his correction.

Again, Alysia circled the room before jumping back her hands rising in a form of defense; slowly she lowered them puzzling over the glass table now in the middle of the room. She was positive it had not been there before and slowly walked over examining it closely, her gaze falling to a bottle that read drink me.

"Hell no," She shook her head moving the bottle purposely across the table and pausing when she heard a clink sound. "A key?" lifting the tiny gold thing to her hand she moved it around before again eyeing the bottle.

_"I'm going nuts, but if I'm guessing my family stories have any relevance it would be wise to _not_ do what my great grandmother, several greats in fact did."_ Wisely, she held the key close and then eyed the bottle. Her eyes fell to her black jeans and long sleeved t-shirt; she knew shrinking would be unpleasant considering she saw nothing to change into

"I wish I had kept Barbie on hand, her clothing might have worked." She laughed at the idea of dressing in her old toys clothes before frowning. "Plan b,"

She tore off a length of her shirt before drinking the potion in the bottle, she did not like the taste nor the odd feeling of her body feeling like it was folding in on itself. When the discomfort faded, she peeked out of her massive clothes and with relief held up the key. She saw no sign of the growing cake she had recalled and was glad she had some foresight from stories.

"I don't believe it; the girl actually has the key." MallyMkun exclaimed being crowded with the others all trying to look in on at the strange girl.

Alysia wrapped the cloth around herself making a mummy like dress before walking silently around the room and ducking under a very heavy curtain. Coughing as dust greeted her she eased herself down peeking through the lock, she saw darkness and many odd shapes. It reminded her of her family's garden at night and so feeling eased she unlocked the door and pushed it open.

She remained in the doorway allowing her senses to absorb the situation. She had spent a good many hours reading her great however many grandmother's journals, from her childhood and to the last adventure she had written after her memories flooded back. She felt a light breeze twist through her hair making her smile before her eyes fell to the forest and she gasped. It was vast, so much larger than she ever thought possible and everything was so much bigger than she was.

Groaning she glanced back seeing no sign of a growing cake and surrendered to the fact she would be physical the size of a small rodent for the time being before stepping on the grass and glancing around. The flowers had faces; all of them appeared to be sleeping and unaware of her arrival.

"She isn't Alice." The voice forced her to spin around nearly losing her footing and glancing up at a very large beautiful rose, her face in a very determined scowl. "How can she be of any help?"

Easing out of their hiding places Alysia saw three animals, wearing clothing and looking equally distressed by her presence much as she was of theirs. She glanced over the small white mouse aiming a sharp pin her direction, in her current size though it looked more threatening and then her eyes darted to the large hare before settling on the white rabbit in a blue suit.

"Um," She did not know what to say, she was lost for words and did not think it wise to open her mouth right then.

MallyMkun being brave slowly stepped before the strange girl and aimed her pin. A fog appearing behind the girl forced her to halt in her attempt and glare at the green eyes that appeared before the rest of Cheshire did. Internally cursing the feline, she lowered her weapon and eyed the girl more closely.

Her gaze was a soft green, a lot like the greens of the garden during the day and her hair had a light wave in the brown locks. She seemed just as unsettled by them as they were here, frowning she saw the girl tighten the material around herself before she tilt her head examining each of them more closely.

Her lip quirked in a hesitant smile, her skin seemed kissed by a lot of time in the sun and for some reason MallyMkun thought her smile more maddening than anything, she had experienced herself.

"Who are you not Alice?" questioned Mctwisp noting her step back a startled sound escaping her lips.

_"Not Alice?"_ Alysia did not understand much of what was happening but did know her family fairly well, her grandmother being the reason and the many stories from her childhood. _"He means the first in my generation, gram's great, great grandmother."_ At least that was what she came to the conclusion of.

"Alysia Bradburn." She saw the three animals exchange looks before whirling at the disgruntled sigh behind her.

Her eyes fell to a large blue cat with narrowed green eyes floating several feet off the ground and hanging upside down. Feeling even more out of place she tilt her head meeting what she could swear was an unpleasant look, noting it arch inquiringly at her.

"I told you Chessur,"

"So it would seem that Absolem may have made an error, but Mirana will have to decide." Cheshire offered before vanishing and reappearing at Alysia's feet.

She jumped back seeing his tail twitch while her eyes fell to the shaking hair before he shot something making her turn in time to see a cup shatter. He giggled madly before Mctwisp offered a sort of apologetic shrug.

"The March Hare is quite mad." MallyMkun was left out of that discussion seeing the girl was unsettled enough at their presence without telling her everyone in Underland was very much mad.

"Who is-"

"The White Queen Mirana…she will determine why Absolem brought you here." Alysia did not much like being dismissed and her lips thinned slightly at the indication she should just let things stand as they were and follow the animals without an argument.

She found herself defying her worries and crossing her arms, to her surprise and irritation the small mouse poked at her with the sharp pin making her move along regardless of her own opinions. Glaring down at the small animal she walked slowly taking in the living garden, nodding politely when a flower would notice her and biting back un-pleasantries when she was again referred to as 'not Alice'. She found it unfavorable and to be honest disconcerting.

She may not have been Alice, but Alice was a great several times over grandmother. She was part of Alice in genetics and she found her frustration growing as they trudge through a huge forest of oddly shaped umbrella like trees. She after a while studied them more closely seeing they were in fact mushrooms, which again reminded her she was tiny and could easily be harmed at her current size.

"Is there something I can do to get back to my right size?" She questioned growing more alarmed as they walked on in the gloom and disliking the odd sounds greeting her ears.

She saw that her only companions at present were the mouse and white rabbit; she had no idea when she lost the hare and perplexing feline. "Not yet." MallyMkun replied giving her a quick prick indicating she should move.

"Please stop that." Alysia growled before wondering if she could actually allow herself to kick the mouse and deciding against it.

She noted the mouse force a fake smile before again assisting her on her way; she internally snarled obscenities to the small rodent before nearly falling over a crushed mushroom in their path. The mouse moved quickly around her stopping her from moving any farther and saw the rabbit too stop. Both animals looked around, before she took notice that the rabbit seemed far more concerned than the mouse.

"Are you a warrior little mouse?"

MallyMkun pinned her ears down in agitation but nodded a confirmation to the girls' inquiry. Mctwisp quickly moved to her other side, eyeing the forest and muttering about how being this quiet was never a good sign.

"We need,"

"Bayard." Finished Mctwisp with the slightest warning in his voice.

"Fine, the dog will do."

MallyMkun let out a sharp whistle; the sound caught Alysia by surprise before she rubbed her ears vigorously and glanced out at a thundering sound heading right at them. Frightened by the unidentified sound she crouched down low wishing she had something to use as a weapon, dangers filling her mind from reading and stories she had heard.

"That isn't Bayard." Remarked Cheshire appearing from the smoke and scaring her again, "That is the Bandersnatch and Mirana must have sent him. Question is will he let our guest go with us?" wondered the feline mirth reflected in his very large mad looking grin.

The thought of whatever a Bandersnatch is made her stomach knot, she tried to remember why it sounded familiar but only got distracted when a large beast slid to a halt in front of them. He looked like a giant bear with the face of a beat up dog with teeth of a huge mountain lion and a long fuzzy lizard like tail. His fur was an off white with gray spots and to her his breath smelled so horrible she covered her nose and mouth.

"Easy." Warned MallyMkun noting the large animals' nose go a mile a minute before the large eyes gleamed focusing on Alysia.

"This is alright?" She did not like the worry in the rabbit's voice or the cats smile.


	3. Stone Cold Crazy

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N:_ _Hatter may not be like he should be but keep in mind that everyone hurt changes a bit and sometimes it takes a good kick in the pants to be nice. lol  
>At some point the rating may change in later chapters, have to see what happens.<br>_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: <strong>**Stone Cold Crazy**

She was quite sure the mouse hated her; the others did not know her and this huge animal would make a short snack of her. She froze noting the animal growl before walking toward her, his odor faded the closer he got allowing her to breath normally again. She stood slowly, remembering it was not wise to run and make herself seem like prey.

The Bandersnatch circled her, his rough coarse fur brushing her bare arms before she noted a strange sound coming from his throat. He sounded uncertain and distressed by her, she met his yellow eyes before offering her hand up in a placating gesture, he growled before pinning his ears back and sniffing at her.

Cheshire seemed interested in the Bandersnatchs' behavior as did the others, the one that seemed the most confused was the large beast itself. It lowered allowing the two animals guiding her to climb on its back before growling low when MallyMkun insisted on her presence with them.

"He doesn't like me." Alysia retorted sourly noting the animal bristle at her attempt to move to join the others.

"Not our problem." MallyMkun replied.

_"That little fur ball I would love to feed her to the cat but he seems on good terms with her." _Her hard look on the mouse seemed to trigger the Bandersnatch to follow her every move. "I won't hurt her." She offered still frustrated by the mixed signals the animal was giving off.

He sniffed at her hair, forcing her hair to flutter into her eyes before he made that awful sound making her feel sorry for him, she had a distinct feeling it was because of unbidden puzzlement and she could put together a few reasons why.

She guided her hand slowly onto the animals' nose, regardless of the warning growl she got and noted with relief when it nuzzled her hand. His nose was warm and very wet; she smiled before rubbing her hand on her makeshift outfit and climbing onto the Bandersnatch.

All three present were amazed by the animals' acceptance of her presence, even more so when she had touched its nose. To their knowledge, the animal had hated most everyone except for Mirana, the Hatter and Alice. She clung to the beast when it sprinted off into the forest of mushrooms.

Alysia closed her eyes tightly ignoring her surroundings and hearing the mouse whooping happily off to her side. She hated rides at the fair and decided she did not much like riding the Bandersnatch. She could deal with not seeing how fast they were going and judging by the various frightened sounds by the white rabbit she was glad she did not want to see where they were headed.

It felt like hours as she clung to the ever changing direction animal, more times than she cared to think she had nearly fallen off and only succeeded in remaining as she was when the animal would shift sharply clearly feeling her nearly falling off of him. She was grateful for the creatures' clear foresight to her dilemma but wished she had remembered what he was beforehand. Her grandmother had explained her great, great, great, grandmother had befriended this thing all those years ago and now she was riding it.

_"Time in this world is very different than home."_ She dutifully noted getting suspicious of the small mouse tormenting her and wondering if she had done the same to her ancestor before her. The animal halted suddenly in front of a massive white castle, before charging down a white brick walkway into a garden of beautiful trees.

He stopped so sharply Alysia lost her hold and flew over top of the Bandersnatchs head rolling to a stop at someone's feet. She groaned painfully before glancing slowly up seeing a woman eyeing her in brief distress before her expression turned confused, she was literally white as marble, her hair, everything except for her nails, lips and the pattern on her dress. They were black, she gathered by the strange design of everything being white this was the white Queen Mirana and she was lying at royalties' feet.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" she seemed to get over her upset before watching the dark haired girls green gaze move tiredly to her previous companions before seeing the Bandersnatch pin his ears almost like it was apologizing for her fall.

"I don't know yet…your majesty." She decided it would not be wise to be snotty to the one person that may give her answers, at least not yet.

She glowered at the cat waltzing casually up to her side before glancing up at the queen. "This is the one Absolem led to us Queen Mirana, but she isn't Alice."

Sighing Alysia wished hearing those words did not bother her as much as she let them. Therefore, what if she was not Alice; she was still related and found this completely impossible situation hard to swallow. Even with all she knew, this was so absurd she felt a headache coming on and rubbed her temples. She spotted the mouse race past her quickly looking alarmed to say the least and heard various discomforting sounds all around her.

"Hatter!"

Alysia slowly allowed her eyes to follow the mouse to an approaching man. He is tall adorned in an aged looking suit that seemed to change color as he approached. The various patterns making her dizzy watching his pale face contort slightly with varying emotions. His top hat appeared to be covering wild red hair that looked like someone had shocked him and as she looked closer, she saw his eyes shift from a pale yellow to a dark green and then an almost blood red.

_"This can't be good."_ She saw him stop before glaring down at the mouse; she did not like the animal but did not really feel the need to watch her become a smear on the tall man's shoe. Before she could gather her wits and aid the small mouse, he walked around her and started forward again. Her ears detected intangible words, some of them she was positive would probably equal cursing in her own world and found herself glancing up seeing a sad sort of look in Mirana's eyes.

"Tarrant, please let me." Mirana's soft voice clearly went ignored in the man's current venomous rage.

Alysia found herself quickly turning to the approaching man and meeting those hard red fiery eyes. "_She isn't her_, she isn't my Alice!" that was clear after she had only heard elusive words from him all the way to where he was a few steps from possibly attacking her.

_"There it is again."_ Her lip turned down sourly at the repetitive phrase, she was growing greatly to despise the world she was thrown into. A decisive sharp 'Hatter' seemed to snap him out of his rage, unfortunately his evil look did not fade and his eyes remained a dark green with the briefest hints of red.

She moved her eyes to the soft-spoken White Queen at her side staring up at the angrily breathing man. "Please, let me sort this out Hatter." She pleaded seeing his dark expression never waver from the unnerved Alysia at their feet.

He seemed very much in a refusal state to leave them, guessing that correctly she saw him walk quietly past her and place a hand stroking down the Bandersnatch's coat his eyes never leaving her. She managed to regain some substance of her body and climb to her feet. She hated feeling like an insect and turned seeing an unpleasant sort of mirth in the man's expression.


	4. Living for Borrowed Time

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: Back with some new chapters. I have more in the works, thanks for all those out there reading this for your patience and for keeping up with me.__  
><em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Living for Borrowed Time<br>**

"Is this her true height Mctwisp?" Questioned Mirana before indicating Alysia standing barely past her knee.

"No your majesty." She smiled warmly offering her hand to Alysia, oddly enough she felt much safer with this mad queen more than the others.

A slight exception may have been the white rabbit she now knew to be Mctwisp. She accepted the offering finding herself slowly led down the winding path of white, past flowering trees, gardens and fountains on into a side door into the palace.

She did not fail to notice she was now alone with the Queen and wisely kept her worries to herself. She slowly gathered the intricate turns and twists of the castle were very confusing to her, before she followed Mirana into a door and ducked a flying thing of food. She saw the source feeling her lips quirk seeing the March Hare was busily in his kitchen. Her attention went to the lab like setting where she was guided to a cushion and saw the queen quickly moving about mixing something.

"I apologize for the way he acted." Mirana tried to make pleasant conversation uncertain why Absolem would send this woman instead of Alice.

"The one that scared me?" She nodded noting the girls discomfort at the memory.

"He wasn't always violently mad, just simply mad…like most of us. That is Underland and since, Alice left he has not been right. He's…complicated." She offered mixing something, while Alysia watched a cloud poof around the queen and saw her blow slowly on a clear liquid. "Here, just a tiny sip or you'll be several feet too tall." She cautioned.

Alysia taking her advice took the smallest of sips and made a face, the odd feeling of expanding was no better than shrinking and she could have sworn the growing potion tasted much worse. Making a face, she quickly gathered a blanket besides her wrapping herself feeling her face flush. She had forgotten that she would grow out of her clothing.

"Come with me."

Again, she was following Mirana, the woman walked with her hands delicately in the air like a dancer. The woman made Alysia think of a dancer prancing around constantly before she found herself guided into a room full of balconies and a large canopied bed off to her left. She found herself distracted taking in the night with the full moon and soft winds swaying the gardens in front of her.

"It's very pretty." Alysia offered softly hearing Mirana hum in agreement before the queen returned to her side offering her an outfit that reminded her of the orient where she had seen pictures of the great grandmother several times over Alice.

"These should fit." She offered watching Alysia disappear behind the dressing blind and emerge later in the white satin pants with the dojo style shirt tied securely around her. "What is your name?"

"Alysia Bradburn."

"I am not sure why you were brought to us Alysia, but there has to be-

"Pardon my interruption your highness; it could very well be because my great grandmother many times over was Alice Kingsley." She finally got it out before the 'you're not Alice' somehow was brought back up. "I've heard many stories and have been shown her journals many times. It has been a very long time from where I come from. At least three centuries, like I stated great many times ago." Slowly the queen much to her alarm faltered swaying as she fell to a seated position on the edge of the canopied bed. "Queen Mirana?"

Alysia went to her side worried about the strange woman's health before seeing tears pool in her soft brown eyes. "That long?" she breathed seeing Alysia nod sadly gathering for a fact time was very different in this world. "Oh I can't bear to tell him." She managed sparing a glance out into the night.

"Tell who?" Alysia questioned feeling again lost in the world she had been thrown into yet again.

Mirana dabbing her eyes sighed meeting the ancestor of Alice's gaze with a sad smile. "The man that was outraged during your arrival," Alysia nodded following Mirana trying to gather what she was missing to the massive puzzle around her. "He is the Mad Hatter, Tarrant Hightopp, the last of his kind and the one who Alice left behind to settle her world. The potion, rather the jabberwocky's blood was too potent…she must have forgotten."

"She did, she wrote the story down in one of her journals. She remembered too late and was with her family. Her journals grew so sad after she remembered," Alysia felt her mouth gape before meeting the queen's eyes. "_He's_ the man my ancestor Alice loved?"

"I believe so; he very much cared for her."

Alysia put all the pieces together and with a dark feeling realized where this would go if Mirana told the Hatter about Alice, she would be safer hidden under a rock than where he could see her.

"Do I have to be with you?" She squeaked weakly seeing Mirana watch her with concern before her dark eyes clouded in understanding.

"I don't wish to leave you here alone; it seems you are the only descendent of Alice's that has the knowledge and belief to help us. He will just have to understand that even if it's too painful for him."

MallyMkun had been listening after locating the queen and sniffled, her friend would be crushed and she was not so sure the girls' safety would be of her concern but she had seen Alysia watching during his arrival. The woman had been clearly contemplating coming to her aid.

"Mirana," Both turned to the soft voice belonging to the mouse.

"Mally," she smiled warmly offering her hand to the small mouse. "What is it MallyMkun?"

Alysia saw the mouse give her that slight unpleasant look before she faltered shrugging. "Hatter is unstable, not like we are but dangerous…I don't know what he can do. Alice has been his only reason for focusing so long, he might die inside and never come back or go seeking, them for a quick death." She winced seeing Mirana process her words before she covered her mouth in dainty horror.

"Time is different…err…MallyMkun. At least in my world and Alice was afraid of hurting him so stayed away, when she remembered she was an eighty-year-old woman with many grandchildren. It would have destroyed him,"

"It still will when he learns she's gone." Mirana intervened seeing MallyMkun was getting very angry with Alysia.

"Crap." Alysia murmured seeing both women eyeing her closely. "What?"

"You're her ancestor, he might understand enough to help us again."

MallyMkun laughed hysterically, rather madly before shaking her small head. The queen shrugged ignoring the mouse before placing her gently to the floor and standing. She pulled Alysia to her feet and out down the familiar winding halls of the castle. It was not long before she was being dragged back to the courtyard and saw that everyone was still there including the Mad Hatter who was delicately brushing at the Bandersnatch's fur his hard eyes finding hers.

Alysia swallowed hard, she did not want to be there and was sure that the madness that ran abundant in the land would be her undoing. Mirana stopped releasing Alysia's hand and gently pushed her toward the man staring at her with that light tinge of red in his hard emerald gaze.

"Me?" she managed weakly seeing Mirana offer an encouraging smile and nod.

"Is she the one Mirana?" Hatter's venom like gaze forced Mctwisp to wince under the look before the white rabbit moved silently around behind the queen.

"I'm afraid it's very complicated Mctwisp. Alysia Bradburn is indeed our champion because of circumstances in the above world." Hatter turned sharply stepping forward ready to fire his protests before seeing Alysia block his path with a nervous look.

"Yes?" He inquired clearly ready to let loose, she understood his clothing and eyes showed his emotions, judging by the darkening of his clothes and the slow reddening of his eyes he was getting ticked right off.

"Alice was my ancestor, a grandmother three centuries ago. She didn't come back because whatever happened made her forget and now she's gone, I'm the only one of her decedents that I guess can do whatever her majesty and the rest of you need me to do."

MallyMkun dove for the Hatter, while everyone in the court stared on with fear for Alysia's safety. Alysia had seen many horror movies and knew why the characters died, she didn't stay still long enough to be the victim either and went to run freezing when the Bandersnatch moved between her and the now incensed Mad Hatter, mad being operative. She was positive he had the ability to do major harm to her wellbeing.

Everyone in the court all froze at the warning howl from the animal, the Hatter so startled by the Bandersnatch saving Alysia he stopped dead in his rage breathing hard and eyeing the animal closely. Betrayal was the only emotion he had never felt from the Bandersnatch, now the animal was protecting the woman that told him of the only girl he loved dying, how the blood had been so potent it had erased what he needed most and now here was a descendent, nothing like her being protected by his last remaining friend.

"No." He managed seeing the animal bristle in warning as he approached.

Alysia uncovered her body long enough to note the animal was guarding her from the Hatter. Gently she stroked the coarse fur, feeling the animal relax under her touch before she just caught sight of the horrified and betrayed look in the Hatter's expression. Feeling strangely at this she slowly walked around finding the animal herding her behind him for safety.

"Easy Bandersnatch," She cooed easing her hand gently stroking behind his ear her gaze meeting the oddly dull yellow of the Hatter. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone; I thought it was part of-

"Tarrant?" She stopped in her apology seeing Mirana had glided around them and in between their standoff. "She doesn't lie, I mixed in truth…it will last a while yet." She offered out her hand, ignoring the indignant sort of sound Alysia offered at realizing she could not lie if she chose to.

She saw him glance around before he moved swiftly off another path and appeared to get lost in the mass of white gardens surrounding them. Nightfall a good cover if she guessed correctly, when the friends disbanded leaving Alysia with Mirana, the Bandersnatch and a very confused looking Mctwisp.

"Truth?" Mirana smiled sadly before again sweeping Alysia off to the castle, she had much to discuss with the girl and a quick history lesson would probably be very helpful.

Alysia found herself at the top of the towers, staring out at the various felids of muted colors, the nighttime giving it a fairy glow affect that stole her breath. During her time in the palace, she had noticed subtleties of pale colors, dominating blue for one and found herself easing into the place. She felt comfortable now that she was with the white queen. Mirana had told her of her ancestors' adventures, the last one that sealed the fate that day when Hatter had become lost.

She listened her questions answered fairly well despite the over acted way Mirana held herself and her gestures. She felt a sort of calm before the storm, that being the case she found herself becoming tense wondering why now she was in Underland and what need she had to fill for the world her predecessor had lost hold of.

"Your majesty,"

"Mirana please Alysia, you are part of Underland and I consider you a friend." She nodded trying to word her question carefully; she had felt a great deal of foreboding when arriving and was sure it was not just the Hatter causing it, the feeling had yet to leave.

"Mirana, why am I here now? Why did you send Absolem to find…well I guess me now that things have been sorted?"

Alysia saw the worried look in the queens' expression and internally cringed. She was not Alice; there was no way she felt she could do half of what her antecedent had done. She barely could handle her mother and had learned quickly to avoid that which did disrupt her internal balance.

"We need your help, I misjudged what exactly banishment was able to do. In numbers especially," Mirana's frightened voice made Alysia want to face the Hatter again; at least she knew what was coming in his case. "Iracebeth and her faithful Knave of hearts have attempted a revolt. I do not know of her plans all I know is that he has been seen and not within the Outlands. I fear my leadership is at stake once again, I need a champion and you are the only one left to fill Alice's shoes." She saw Alysia's eyes go wide and smiled halfheartedly.

"She isn't Alice; she doesn't have any of her attributes. How can she face them?" Alysia nearly jumped over the balcony behind her hearing that hard tone, she had not even heard him come back and that scared her most of all.

"She is a descendent." Mirana soothed noting Hatter's eyes had the faintest tints of red in them but it was not the anger, they were emerald and were red from previous grief.

"He's right." Alysia managed shocked she would agree with him, he terrified her and she was not about to admit that to anyone but herself. "I don't know how to fight; I've always been fairly good at avoiding…that sort." She finished wincing under his observation and wishing to sink into the ground at her feet.

Mirana her eyes hardening seeing the slight smile at his mouth shook her head. This Hatter regardless of any vow was trying her patience; she missed the Tarrant that was soft and caring. The one that was happy knowing Alice was coming back, the one that had been whimsical and just mad, not frightening or if she dared to admit it, arrogantly smug.

"Very well Alysia, we will have to teach you methods of fighting." Mirana offered seeing the slight smirk disappear and noting the Hatter meet her gaze with his eyes changing to a warning amber color.

Alysia saw the change and saw the change in Mirana, she internally begged to be imagining what she was sure was coming and considered the distance from the roof to the ground. It equaled sure death, even the drop to the next balcony was suicide.

_"Why couldn't Alice just have come back?"_ she realized it was stupid to ask that, she would not have existed if that had been the case. If the Hatter had his way, she was sure he would have liked that option.

"Due to my vow I cannot harm anything or one; you will need to learn from the best." She indicated Hatter and Alysia felt her stomach churn noting the very dark look in his eyes, his clothing going darker than ever and a sneer curling his mouth.

"I won't teach her Mirana," His hard gaze found hers, distinctly red and violent. "I refuse,"

"Hatter, she is all we have left." MallyMkun was at Mirana's feet trying to decide how much her closest friend would hate her after that one sentence.

"Mally?" he breathed feeling like each of his friends were turning slowly against him.

"Hold on!" Alysia interrupted the obvious issue around her, she noted with her own guilt he looked letdown tremendously and she did not like it. "Can someone else teach me? He's been through enough." She ignored the gaze turning to her still yellowed with hurt.

"MallyMkun?" Mirana offered with uncertainty seeing the mouse bow in acceptance before eyeing Alysia with a strange sort of respect.

"Certainly," The small mouse offered her ears tucking when she heard his distinct muttering before he left silently in the darkness of the castle.

"So be it, lessons tomorrow…come with me to your chamber." Alysia nodded following the queen, MallyMkun's soft thank you did not go unnoticed on her way past.


	5. Push

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Push<br>**

They had been plotting since the banishment due to Alice; Iracebeth was in a blind fury over learning of the attempt her sister Mirana had taken to bring Alice back to Underland and again save them.

Stayne the loyal Knave of hearts, at least until he found a way to betray the red queen and slay her without the risk of his own life in balance silently watched her rant. He had the opportunity to do so once, he failed because of the Hatter and that infernal blond child Alice.

He would not fail again, it was just at present he needed the queen of hearts for the moment and it would prove useless to end her life too soon. He was distracted by her very large head and noticed how her voice was still so sweet it hurt his teeth, being out in the Outlands for so long he had a feeling she had buried her rage against him.

_"Foolish, she will kill me if I am not on my guard. That kind of betrayal is not quite a convenient thing to forget."_ She silenced her rage, her pale face still red with fury and dark eyes hard like flint. Furiously her out of control hair and tattered dress gave the impression she was in a wild dogfight. He found it amusing and stifled any sort of comment that may get him his head detached.

"She can't come back!" yelled Iracebeth wrathfully, her tiny heart shaped lips pursed tightly after her outburst.

Stayne saw the few thousand or so banished beings they had gathered as their army, it was by no means like the endless they had before. They at least had a fighting chance to overthrow the kingdom again and that was all they needed. He felt Mirana's vow was foolish, it gave them the opportunity to again control Underland, yet if she had accepted his plea to be killed and not banished with Iracebeth, he would not be there to see the chance to win.

"She won't, it has been too long for her to come back. They failed; our spies have told me of their failure." She settled down her dark eyes moving over him suspiciously.

Iracebeth remembered his treachery well, she was not foolish enough to believe he loved her and yet she still fluttered her lashes at him and tried to gain his true faith back in her favor. All of it hopeless, but the idea that she could lose so easily to anyone had always been her down fall.

The next morning Alysia awoke staring slowly around the room she had been acquainted with the previous night. She had changed in this very room and had learned of her descendants' history and now she would be training to fight a possible war with a mouse. She would be fighting for a world she had thought a story, one where some were ok with her help and others would rather her never have been born. Silently she pondered the night before, realizing her mother would probably be furious assuming she had run off on her own terms again.

Her mother could wait, if she tried hard enough maybe she could hope, her mother thought she had fled back to the field where she had worked in another country, digging for old books and forgetting she was supposed to be high society. Shaking her thoughts aside, she climbs from the bed finding fresh clothing and being curious to a new aspect of her room.

She found a door that led to a bathing room and took the opportunity to use it. A few minutes later, she returned to her room to find Mirana waiting staring out the large windows and setting comfortably among a cushioned window seat.

"Hello Mirana, good day." Alysia saw her smile before bowing kindly at the greeting.

"I should guess you think that now, Mally has a lot to teach you and I am afraid to say you will find it a very hard lesson. I am sorry to have to put you in the middle of Alice's battle Alysia; this is very hard on-

"How is the Hatter Mirana?" She stopped startled by Alysia's concern for the one person that seemed to loath her most of all.

"I do not know." Her sad tone told Alysia enough to know she did not have to guess to hard.

Sighing Alysia walked slowly to the window blinking at the array of soft pallets surrounding the garden mixed among the varying white flowers and leaves. It was a pastel colorful rainbow and she found herself easing closer to the window taking in the real beauty of the strange Underland. It did not bother her to know it existed, oddly enough, she was glad this place did. It felt more like home than any place she had been since her grandparents were alive.

"You are impressed?"

"Very, it is truly amazing." She smiled at the spark in Mirana's eyes, regardless of her delicate appearance there was a hint of madness in her dark eyes. "Good morning Mallym-

Mirana turned slowly seeing Alysia pale slightly before her gaze found her issue. "Good day Tarrant." She bowed softly seeing him return the gesture. "How are you?"

Hatter allowed a wry look at the question, he was miserable and it had everything to do with the girl standing near Mirana. He missed feeling as he did when Alice was there; he would never find it again and wished they never needed to go looking. Time was an ugly creature and he wished with all his heart he had control over it and what it had done to him and his Alice.

"You wished for her to learn." Hatter saw to his amusement Alysia's eyes fade from the bright greeting to a worried look.

"Mally is tutoring her Hatter, unless you have come to help?" Mirana unsure of him now felt the distress from Alysia beside her, this could get very complicated and quickly.

"I was going to see how Mally made out, she looks to be a very hard one to teach." He saw the anxiety fade in her face, Alysia glared at his condescending tone and did take high offense to the fact he was implying she was stupid.

MallyMkun walked in during the glare off and glanced around at the three in the room. Her nose twitched briefly before seeing Mirana bow offering her the go ahead to take Alysia to the fields to train. Taking the gentle touch to her hand as a sign to join the small mouse Alysia ignored the Hatter's heated gaze following her exit and nearly ran after MallyMkun.

It was not long before she found herself in the middle of a large field, Mctwisp, Cheshire and the Bandersnatch were in various places watching her progress. MallyMkun was fast with her hat pin sword and to Alysia's surprise none of her blows faded the small mouse, the thin silver sword in her hand moved with feminine ease but she didn't have the grace of a fighter and it wasn't long before she was panting glancing down at the disapproving look MallyMkun had on her face.

"You move into my sword when I strike like so, otherwise I can run you through!" she cried seeing Alysia wince at her tone, like she had tried to explain her knowledge went as far as movies and half attempts at showing off.

Being clueless would not keep her alive.

"Ok, I'm trying MallyMkun…I just never have had any kind of combat training, not just swords. I would probably break myself before I managed to hit someone." She saw the mouse roll her eyes before she dropped her weapon and charged Alysia.

She tried to defend from the tiny blows the mouse managed; surprisingly something so small could hurt and it did a lot. She noticed with distaste the Hatter had been watching the show and was stifling amusement.

"I can't fight you MallyMkun, you're a mouse, and I am surely going to end up on the end of someone's sword." She sighed sitting lightly on the grass at her feet and pushing her sword aside.

MallyMkun agreed, she had seen Alice do much better during her first battle with the Jabberwocky. She was also very sure that Stayne would make short work of her if he found out she had anything to do with Alice, she was the reason they had been banished to the Outerlands.

_"She's failing, this will never do."_ Hatter tried to sort through his various issues, an image of Alice telling him he was absolutely mad but the best people usually were. Her words made an ache appear in his heart, she would be worried by his actions as her ancestor was. He had lost sight of the real him and now he was watching this girl, the descendent of the woman he cared for make a failure at trying to save herself and Underland.

Alice loved this world; he liked to think she did love him and tried to spare him pain. He did not like it or this Alysia but he had to do something. Letting MallyMkun teach her was failing, it was not MallyMkuns' fault either, and this girl truly had no notion on how to fight.

"Mally start with basic tactics."

The mouse's ears perked at Hatter's direction seeing Alysia slowly glance up at his offer of advice; her gaze met his seeing conflicting emotions showing all around, except for his voice. A strange sound of determination echoed in the usual dislike toward her.

"But it will take her forever to learn basics Hatter." Protested MallyMkun before her finger indicated the surrendered form beside her. "She can't even throw a good punch." She grumbled her ears pinning back in disgust.

"True, show her." Hatter silently walked from his path near the tree and saw Cheshire join him, his gaze focused on his ever hunger for the hat he wore. "No Chessur," He saw the cat offer a shrug before he vanished leaving the curious pair to stand off on how to teach Alysia to fight.

"Mctwisp, we need something for her to…hit." MallyMkun gave in finally after much protest, she saw Alysia eye Hatter with a clear idea on what she could hit. "Up." She commanded noting Alysia scowl before climbing to her feet.

Doing as requested, she watched a stuffed thing being lifted and heard the Bandersnatch growl before it curled up glaring at what appeared to be a giant card. Finding the figure ridiculous she glanced between the Hatter and MallyMkun, she could not decide if regardless of insanity within Underland if they were serious or not.

"That would be one of the many possible minions of the Red Queen and Knave." Indicated MallyMkun in a smug tone that only aggravated Alysia.

"So?"

Hatter rolled his eyes and pointed at the thing. "Hit it, that will give us ideas on how bad off you are."

"Us?" Hatter snorted deciding this assist was stupid, she was hopeless and he had no idea why he even opened his mouth.

_"Because Alice would want you to,"_ He flinched at the thought before watching MallyMkun direct Alysia on where exactly to hit. The girl balled up her fist awkwardly and took a shot. Not only did the thing barely move she yelled out in pain gripping her hand and glared at the fake thing.

"You aren't supposed to clasp your thumb and never bend your elbow; it will hurt you more than that which you hit." Hatter could not help it when he smiled seeing her glare his way, at least he could feel useful and amused at the same time. "Alice hit fairly well."

"I'm not Alice." She snarled ignoring the red tint showing in his gaze before she hit the thing hard taking his advice and straw flew out of the stuffed fake card person. "Oh!"

She was relieved her hand did not get hurt that time, MallyMkun and Mctwisp just stared lost for words. The Bandersnatch snorted in approval before Cheshire just vanished leaving the training session. It went on like that, both Hatter and MallyMkun directing Alysia move for move until she gave into her exhaustion and sat on the ground panting hard.

She winced realizing she ached everywhere and had bruises appearing on her body. Her hands hurt horribly and the bruises on her legs hurt worse. She had failed several moves before finally giving into the irritating Hatter that had oddly enough helped, he kept jabbing the fact she was not Alice her way though and all it did was hurt more each time.

Hearing of a woman returning to Underland had worried Stayne, he had given the queen his word Alice was not back and his spies telling him of a woman, an outsider coming to their world had him personally going to investigate the rumors.

Taking the opportunity of his many skills including ones he had acquired among the Outland's of Underland he had climb a tree, his sharp sword silencing the tree in its one attempt at warning the others of his presence. The tree wilted slightly at the wound it had received, cruelty was not in Mirana's heart or those that she cared for.

Seeing the Hatter and mouse attempting to teach the strange dark haired woman, he had to chuckle silently at her actions and the clear dislike for the man teaching her. He could see the loathing and the changes in Hatter were delightful to his eyes. It was clear their beloved Alice had not returned, this girl they attempted to bring in her steed was of no threat.

Seeing her lack of abilities, he found himself wondering if she could be persuaded to join their side, or if he would have to kill the young beauty. In time he would decide on a course of action, he needed to return to the queen and report the news of the failure of Mirana and friends.

She was in her room later that evening staring out into the gardens; Mirana had taken one look at her condition and come to her aid hours later with a potion to ease her pain. She wore a silky dress that flowed freely around her ankles, she had spent the evening walking the gardens with the company of the Bandersnatch and a still coaching MallyMkun. Now she remained on the roof top place the white Queen had taken her too.

Feeling the breeze blow through her hair she ignored the mass of tangles floating in her eyes, all she could feel was pain and frustration. 'Not Alice' ringing in her ears in Hatter's strangely soft voice, it was not as if she was not hurting to. She was giving up going home to help them, she had very little grasp on half of the mess she was in and he made it so horrible she was near tears.

"Alysia?" Mirana's singsong like tone caught her attention from her exasperating thoughts. "How are you feeling?"

Alysia chewed her lip before meeting the worried dark eyes aimed for her. "Sore, hurt and very wrathful…a trait my mother said is a bad thing for a lady to have." She snorted in frustration before rubbing her aching arms and finding another bruise slowly appearing.

Mirana paused tilting her head gracefully to the side, she was not sure how to reply to that and had to think over what she originally wanted to discuss. Finally, she worked out that Hatter's help had only succeeded in making her disliking him more and she had considered violence on him.

"He means well, I was stunned to learn of his assist in your training."

"I wasn't." Alysia grumbled before her eyes found the unfamiliar constellations in the sky. "I'm not Alice; he just wants to remind me of that." Mirana offered a soft breath before her delicate shoulders lifted in surrender.


	6. War What is it Good for?

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: War What is it Good For?<strong>

They stood there in silence, watching the sky and listening to the sounds of the wildlife of Underland. Alysia turned to talk to Mirana before noting three figures enter behind the queen and lift a brow inquiringly at their presence. Seeing her reaction, she smiled turning to greet her friends and to introduce her.

"These are Bayard and the Tweedles."

"Tweedle Dee and he's Tweedle Dum." Answered one of the strangely round figures before she noted they wore identical striped outfits and both seemed confused by her presence.

"Actually it's vice versa, he often gets confused." Alysia did not even try to understand she just smiled feeling lightened by their odd antics before she politely curtsied to Bayard.

"Wishes to your family, how are they Bayard?"

"Very well Mirana, they send their well wishes and thanks for the sanctuary you have offered us since the darkness returned." She forced a smile then, Alysia could see the pain in her dark eyes and already guessed that this land was suffering more than she suspected.

"Excuse us Alysia, please enjoy the evening." Mirana left with her companions clearly discussing the dismal aspects of the Red Queens return.

The silence left Alysia feeling worse than she had before; not being Alice was horrible for her new friends and she wasn't blind to the fact that her lack of talents was hurting the progress of whatever they planned. Hissing painfully she rubbed her shoulders before leaning on the edge of the balcony and staring off into the world below.

She remained like that contemplating all the reasons she was about to fail her ancestors mission to keep Underland safe. She wondered what Alice had been like, what her it factor had been and why she had fallen, so far from whatever talents she might have had.

Grumbling to herself she realized 'not Alice' was permanently engraved in her head now and that she was very sure it was not going to leave her thoughts anytime soon. The arrival of a small mouse moving swiftly up beside her started her briefly before she smiled wanly seeing MallyMkun watching her closely.

"Do you feel any different?" unsure of the small ones inquiry she shrugged.

"I hurt, does that mean any difference?" Alysia saw her sniff indignantly at her sarcasm before she shook her head. "MallyMkun, why can't I find…whatever Alice had? She was part of my family." She felt defeated before she even had gotten started.

"Perhaps because you're so many generations from her muchness factor." Offered the small mouse seeing Alysia's brow lift again in bewilderment, it felt so strange to her to be talking to the mouse regardless of her being her tutor in fighting.

"Muchness?"

MallyMkun attempted to explain before the one man interrupted them she did not wish to see now. "It was something Alice carried deep inside, the spark that gave her to ability to fight for what she cared about." Slowly she turned seeing his eyes were hard and that ever-mocking smirk still lingered.

She did not see the kind Hatter the journals had described or Mirana's view. All she could see was a hurt spiteful man that had yet to understand his precious Alice was gone. She bit her tongue, she was not the type to hurt people and pointing out her opinions could very well do so or hurt her. She did not have the Bandersnatch to save her at present from his wrath, which she set off.

"You act like I didn't try or care about Underland." Alysia stated with disdain.

"Oh you tried; I don't believe you do care of Underland as much as you may think though. If you did you may have tried harder." He offered spitefully.

Alysia felt fury well in her and despite her judgment gave in. "I'm not Alice, I got that and I also got the fact you loath me for being her descendent and that she didn't come back. I get it very clearly; it does not mean I do not care for this place. The stories of this place are the only thing that let me be free. My mother hated this world and very nearly burned the journals to this place. I saved them from her spiteful wrath,"

"Regardless of all of that, Alice is gone for a long time now and I am all that you can count on. So teach me instead of pretending I am something on your shoe. Make me become that thing you miss most about Alice! Let me help!" she finally spat out seeing MallyMkun's expression turn frightened at the man now present level with Alysia, bent over his eyes fully red and clearly raging.

_"Oops."_ Alysia had the sudden urge to flee, she had nowhere to go and with a sinking feeling had no idea what might happen since all she had was MallyMkun at her side.

"Hatter!" MallyMkun tried, she noted with alarm it only got her a dark look and shut her up immediately.

Inside he was raging her words hitting every irritating thing he had been thinking since she arrived, he had never felt so much fury before and yet she made sense somewhere. Snapping his attention to MallyMkun he become aware of her fear, the crazy mouse that shared the maddest of tea parties with him, the March Hare and Alice for all those times. The adventures and how MallyMkun had refused to believe the real Alice had returned to Underland to save them. She had been teaching this descendant only using faith in Mirana and Absolem.

"Mally?"

"Yes Hatter?" she managed meekly.

That was something he had never heard out of his friend before. "Let's start her training earlier, maybe we can have her ready." He turned on his heel leaving them both staring at his back, both breathed softly at his exit.

Alysia sank to the floor curling in a small ball and watching the small mouse jump down to her feet, slowly her eyes met Alysia's and she could see the fire in that green gaze. She may not have been Alice, but at least there was a part of Alice in her. She smiled slightly before scampering off without a word leaving Alysia wondering if she had cracked and her sanity went with the war raging between her and the Hatter.

Waking to the light bounce on her Chessurt Alysia glanced up seeing MallyMkun standing on her and waiting expectantly. Sitting up watching the small mouse easily flip down landing on her feet, she rubbed her eyes and waited for some sort of explanation.

"You got yourself into it; now get a move on Alysia." Slowly she comprehended that it was not even daylight and already gathered her speech only got her more training time.

Groaning she flopped backwards hearing the maddening cackle of the mouse before she left her to dress.


	7. Seeking Solace

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Seeking Solace<strong>

An hour later Alysia was already aching and had just again failed in her sword fight with Mallymunkin's coaching, the change of fighting with Hatter had scared the crap out of her before she realized he was more focused on saving Underland than loathing her. She had not heard a comparison to Alice since the night before after she told him off.

"Did you ever try to fight at all?" Hatter sighed giving her a look that was amused and clearly glad she was on the ground more than beating him.

"Yes, it failed when I was the one losing." She rubbed her aching arm and got to her feet again swinging, she managed one good hit before he changed using his foot and sent her down again. "How is cheating helping me?"

"None of the enemy will fight fair," replied Mallymunkin seeing Alysia stare at the small mouse trying to coach her against the Hatter's far swifter blade, before she encouraged her to get up again. "Especially Stayne," Her low answer only got Alysia an image of someone better facing off with the man she was failing at beating.

"If I'm bruised to a pulp, how will I be useful?" she climbs to her feet trying again, this time she managed to hold her own and listened to both.

"She's getting it." Cheshire observed seeing Hatter pull back and allow Alysia one victory out of many losses.

Hatter smirked devilishly at the cat floating a few feet off to the side, finally that part that she claimed was part of her heritage was showing through. She was not Alice, but he prayed that some of the girl he cared for had moved on down the generations.

"Very good," All hesitated to continue hearing Miranna's reluctant praises, being a woman that vowed against all harm and disliked violence, she had been present in much of it. "I see she is finding her inner muchness finally…very good tutoring Tarrant and you too Mally." Both nodded graciously to Miranna before Alysia lowered her weapon remaining on guard, it would not be the first time Hatter had used her distraction as a teaching weapon.

"I hope you can help me again Miranna, I feel I am going to be very achy after this." Miranna offered her a kind smile seeing Hatter shrug at her look aimed his way.

"It seems a hard lesson, you are holding well." Miranna did not fail to notice Hatter had given into his reluctance and was helping the cause once again. _"Perhaps his love for Alice has finally given him strength."_ She nodded her approval for them to continue before she went off with her court crooning at her every whim.

"Again,"

Groaning Alysia did not guess wrong and caught his blow before he had the chance to try the distracting technique he had before. He saw Mallymunkin gloat at her own coaching before again the pair was battling it out.

Alysia had no strength to eat let alone stand and let Miranna take care of all her new bruises. The queen had commented on how they were lessening after the lessons that morning, afternoon and most of evening. She only nodded at her observation before wincing when she delicately tied off a small wound. She had been so wrapped up in her fight with Hatter she had swung as he did slicing herself on his weapon.

She sighed remembering the startled yellow of his gaze before he ordered Mallymunkin to take care of the wound. He had refused to finish it out after that, telling her to go heal for her lessons the next day. She could have sworn some sort of peace had settled between them for the moment, she was not sure how long it would last and was worried when he had tied off her wound, his eyes looking regretful and his normally brightly colored clothing wilting after their battle.

"Tarrant is frightened." Miranna could see her contemplating her wound in deep thought.

"Why should he be scared Miranna, it was my doing." The queen did not smile only allowed her lip to quirk slightly.

"He got carried away-

"He got distracted by the past and present colliding; he wanted to know if she was ok." Mallymunkin cut off the queen seeing Alysia lift a brow at her explanation.

"Oh for heaven's sake, it wasn't on purpose and I very well may have hurt him too." Alysia grumped trying to pretend Mallymunkin was not laughing at her.

"Not likely." Mallymunkin replied.

"You're better Alysia, but Tarrant is the best and has always been part of my court. He has saved my life many times." Miranna offered noting her offense to Mallymunkin's laughter. "Perhaps you should talk to him, he's walking with the Bandersnatch down at the winding pond in the gardens." She saw Mallymunkin's laughter squelchy before her small ears lifted curiously at Miranna's soft tone.

The queen scooped the mouse up gently in her grasp and shook her head slightly before taking her leave with Mallymunkin in tow. Alysia stood there for a long while after they left before she winced easing her shirt back on and started from her room. She had no idea why Miranna wanted her to go searching for her new tormentor, she just had a feeling deep in her gut that was exactly what she wanted and she should appease the queen for all the help she had offered during her painful training.

A long painful walk later Alysia managed to find the Bandersnatch abandon near a literal winding pond, it turned upward like a corkscrew and remained there. Shaking her head, she moved past the strange thing noting the flowers were singing around her, the trees seemed alive with peaceful sounds as well and it all felt calm to her. The muted colors shown slightly under the moonlight before she gently touched the Bandersnatch on the nose getting a soft growl of appreciation, she then set off on the path the animal seemed focused on and felt him following behind her.


	8. Bittersweet World

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Bittersweet World<br>**

She was not sure of the Hatter's reaction to Miranna telling to go find him and was grateful for the Bandersnatch's company. She felt safe with the large beast and found his odor no longer offended her. She tripped partway down a path before hearing the Hatter and halting. He was arguing to her amusement with a large familiar butterfly.

"Why couldn't you have told me!" he yelled, she winced at the anguish in the Hatter's voice and made an abrupt turnaround.

She knew it was private, gathered it had to do with Alice and did not need him any more upset with her than he was. They had a sort of peace, she wanted to keep it and in doing so, she fled back to the fountain.

The Bandersnatch ignored her exit only to watch on as his friend argued with Absolum; he snorted his opinion before curling at the entrance and watching on.

Alysia stared into the fountain for a very long time; she failed to notice the entrance of the white rabbit until he cleared his throat. "Evening Mctwisp," She saw the smallest of smiles before he hopped over beside her and waited. "The Bandersnatch stayed with him. I left when I gathered he was arguing with the blue butterfly."

"Absolum, he brought you to Underland." She shrugged not wanting to talk about it. "He also brought some troubling news to Queen Miranna's attention," he did not finish clearly growing anxious when her eyes found his.

"What is that Mctwisp?" she hoped the war had not started already; she was not ready for the fight yet.

Both glanced up when the Bandersnatch come bounding into the area and settled around behind them. Hatter joined looking torn between grief and fury, the mixed emotions left him muttering and more upset than she had seen him since the night she told him off.

"Hatter!"

He stopped regarding her before shifting uncomfortably. "I'm fine."

She knew he was not; she had grown to know when he was in better moods what his usual responses were. "What were you saying Mctwisp?" she inquired letting the Hatter be to refocus himself.

"Absolum told Queen Miranna that-

"Mctwisp, let me." Hatter did not like it, he had no idea why he was allowing himself to be the one and loathed the fact Absolum had not broken the news to him a long time ago.

Apparently, he had known Alice was gone for a long time, he had argued with the all-knowing butterfly for what he realized was probably hours. Now this had to happen and he would just have to get used to it, there was far too much going on for him to just wallow in his rage and time was cruel but it did its job well.

Alysia didn't prompt Hatter, she waited seeing Mctwisp offer her a pleasant 'good evening' before noting the Bandersnatch make that odd sad sound and curl closer to his friends. She shrugged uncertain of why she felt a tightening in her stomach, naturally, she assumed it was due to Hatter but the Bandersnatch being close left her safe. She could only guess it was because of the unknown news lingering over her head like a sharp guillotine or something.

"Absolum made an error when he brought you to Underland."

"Please don't start with I'm not her again, it's easier to keep this peace than want to use you as the card person dummy." Alysia warned more focused on her aching body than his emotional instabilities.

To her surprise, his clothing brightened and his eyes turned a faint green color, she could see a slight smile to his lips and wondered what happened. He sighed rubbing his neck before trying to bat away his varying issues and seeing the Bandersnatch watch him with soulful eyes.

"There isn't a way for you to go home, because you aren't…none of the methods will work apparently Absolum didn't know this until now." His words hovered on dead air for a long time before Alysia glanced up seeing he was waiting for her to melt down instead of vice versa.

"Not enough Alice in me to get me back, why does that not surprise me?"

Her slightly entertained tone oddly enough made him curious; she noted his clothing brightens ever so slightly before his eyes softened to a pale yellow color. She found his eyes and clothing being the one thing to read him oddly fascinating and disconcerting at the same time. She did not know what he wanted her to say, she really did not have any idea what to say. The day before she found this place she had left her mother to plan her life, now she had her life in her own hands and was not bothered by the fact she could not get back.

"So Underland is my home now?"

"It seems that way." Mallymunkin had joined the friends in her concern for the constantly feuding pair and Miranna's ill at ease expression before she left.

Alysia allowed that to settle before she shrugged. "I can live with it, it just means I can have time to train and will have more reason to find whatever I need to save it." Mallymunkin felt her mouth hang open while noting Hatter's eyes lighten more and his clothing look less wilted, angry and begin to look like his old self.

"We're all mad here." Warned the Hatter stretching his body realizing he was sore from teaching the girl, it had been a while since he had to train anyone.

"According to Alice, the best people are. At least that's what my grandmother told me." She did not see the pained look it brought to Hatter's face before Mallymunkin began to lead her back to the palace.

It would seem he would always have a place for Alice, even if Alysia were now a permanent part he could not wrap his mind around her being anything like Alice. Sighing he again walked the gardens hearing the Bandersnatch following his lead.


	9. Eyes Wide Open

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Eyes Wide Open<br>**

The next morning Mallymunkin was kind enough to again wake her; Alysia felt every bone in her body protesting any sort of movement. She could have sworn her hair hurt and as slowly as she could she got out of bed and went about trying to dress for her clear battle ahead of her. By the time, she was ready, she was not quite so stiff but she had yet to feel better.

"It will get easier." Mallymunkin tried too cheerfully for her taste.

"Ha, before or after I no longer can move due to pain?"

"It's better than being on the end of the enemies' sword." Stated Cheshire joining them and catching her off guard, "You might fare better today, Hatter is sore also…he hasn't trained anyone in an age." He grinned that mad grin before he vanished appearing ahead of them a few minutes later.

Alysia did not believe the feline for one minute, Miranna had shared a brief greeting before vanishing from sight looking worried and flush from her quick pace. She did not want to ask, she was afraid of the answer the kind white queen would offer her. Slowly she walked down the forever winding paths of the gardens, her senses were much more alert than they had been in the past and she had her sword ready in case of a surprise from Hatter.

She did not expect him to let up and this would be a time she would figure he would attack, hearing a sound to her right she froze readying herself. Instead, all she got was a startled Mctwisp eyeing her and greeting Mallymunkin.

Apologizing Alysia listened to the two of them chat as they walked, her mind for some reason could not focus and instead she was wound tight. An attack never far from her thoughts, halfway around another turn before even getting near to the practice field she lifted her sword catching Hatter's ambush and met his gaze, that day he appeared brighter than usual and his clothing reflected he was in a fair mood. His eyes shown a leafy colored green, she was not sure but she had a feeling he might be impressed by her caution.

"I told you she would get it." Cheshire muttered lazily from his perch above them, his tail swishing in a perfect curl before he started down the rows of hedges.

Hatter did not much like the felines' conceited tone or the swagger he had successfully pulled off, but even he admitted he had expected Alysia to let her guard down. Walking in silence with her companions Alysia kept a wary eye on Hatter, she did not understand the odd changes in him or the strange confrontation he appeared to be having with himself and his emotions.

What she did know was he would be constantly testing her, clearly he was not letting up anytime soon and she had a distinct impression when it was all done, she may have some piece of her ancestor buried in her somewhere.

Hours later, she lay puffing on the ground cursing Hatter for ever attempting to teach her. Mallymunkin had chosen to let her coaching ease up, which left Alysia much of the time on her own facing him. Realization came to her the last dozen or so times she fell to the ground because the small mouse had given her false direction. She was fed up with the tests, but they did point out it was because the bad people did not fight fair _ever_.

Painfully she climbs to her feet seeing his gaze falter in his next move when he saw blood appear on her old wound from the day before. Following his gaze as his eyes yellowed and the colors to his brightly patterned clothing faded, she saw the problem and sighed.

She ignored the concern and moved in proving that she had been learning very well. Hatter instinctively caught her blows and smiled slightly seeing she was getting the idea finally. She did notice the cheer from the small mouse who seemed pleased with herself. She kept up the pace and finally after a few minutes Hatter caught her last attack moving swiftly taking her sword. This move threw her completely, it was new and she never saw it coming.

"Hey!" she managed before stumbling forward and catching herself. "What was that?"

"His hat trick," Answered Mctwisp with a small smile, clearly he had not seen the move in a while.

"Oh." Feeling her ego deflate a bit at nearly catching the Hatter at his own game, she took her sword back from him; he offered the handle gently to her indicating they should continue.

"It isn't a move I use unless I _need_ to protect something I care about." Hatter put his sword away watching her surrender against the tree behind her. "It's a valuable move and I have used it in times when they were very bleak." She saw his eyes dull to a gray yellow and realized it was a move he must have used with her predecessor; she had hoped Alice would not be brought up that day.

"You saved her?" She did not need to say the name; his look between sad and sarcastic was not missed by her now heightened observational skills.

"I distracted the enemy for her. She saved herself." Alysia regretted her next question greatly seeing this would lead into very painful territory for him, taking a breath she tried again.

"Am I close to having anything of…Alice's muchness?" She saw the slight signs of tension, but his eyes remained that light yellow color and his clothing only dulled a bit.

"Be honest Hatter." Mallymunkin saw he was contemplating his answer very carefully.

"No, but you are trying." Alysia internally groaned, there was no way she was going to be able to help Underland if this kept up. "Start again?"

She did not want to, she was tired and ached all over and it provided a very cranky individual trying to be taught things she did not quite get. Shrugging she took a breath and started all over again.

Miranna watched on silently from the sidelines, Hatter was very nearly the Tarrant she remembered now and she hoped the change would continue for the better. Alysia may not have been the champion they had in the past, but she was determined and that was all they could hope for in their situation. So far, her spies indicated no one knew of her, the buzz was Alice had returned to clean up the new mess.

She hoped they would believe that, she prayed they would believe that.

_"Alice is the only cloak Alysia has right now, if they knew-"_ her thoughts were interrupted by Alysia managing to just miss Hatter in an attempt to learn another of his more creative moves. She smiled noting him scowl at the sword sticking out of the ground between his feet and saw Alysia staring on in horror, before his look made her cover a round of stifled giggles.

"This is not amusing." He glanced down again seeing how close it had come to his body and winced, if he hadn't known better he would have suggested she was aiming for a part of his anatomy he would have rather not been attacked.

"I didn't mean it; besides you know my skill…it was your move." He lifted her sword offering it back to her, before she got it; he had it with his own and had a scissor like move around her neck. "Oiy!" she remarked shocked at his reflexes.

"This is also a common move used by the red courts, be wise to keep your weapon on you and if your opponent offers a fair fight-

"Stab him with a hidden knife?" Suggested Alysia seeing an eerie sort of smile lift his lips before he nodded his approval. "I need to learn to use a knife too then?"

"It would be a good idea." Mallymunkin stated seeing her eyes move to her before the small mouse pointed to the white handled dagger Mctwisp offered to her.

It was silver and engraved with a fine ivy pattern along the blade, a single pearl in the handle glowed like a full moon. "I feel like I'm training to kill." Alysia winced at her voice, the words biting into her dislike for violence.

Hatter noting how disenchanted she was by the idea hated himself for what he was going to tell her. "You are being trained to kill…otherwise they will execute you."

On that less than pleasant note all of them made their way back to the palace, Alysia was silent like the death that would be very real if she did not keep up her training. In reality, she was not sure if she was glad the Hatter finally decided to help her or if she was still more afraid of him than the enemy was.

The thing she was sure of was that she was scared and nothing they said would change that.


	10. Two Worlds Collide

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: Almost done, know its been a while but I guess I can only write when I have time to do so. Inspiration is few and far between lately. Real life is a whirlwind of chaos so I hope to get my stories finished and others up. For now this is what I managed, hope it at least satisfied you for now. ^_^ __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Two Worlds Collide<br>**

Erazabeth had not been eased by the news of an unknown girl in Underland, despite the reassurances of her lack of skills and the fact she was not Alice. She had ordered Stayne to train the men harder, her servants regardless of their obvious disloyalties to her, waited on her as if nothing was different.

Most were in the Knave's service, but upon his order to keep suspicion down, they all waited on her as if nothing was different. They had even managed to take back her castle and land where the original hell had started. Repair work on the forgotten castle was going smoothly, her gardens being restored and her thrown room. For the time being all was well.

Her fear of the unknown girl would be dealt with; she would send an assassin without Stayne's knowledge and destroy her before she became any sort of problem

Alysia taking her time that day made her way tiredly to the training field she had grown very intimate with. Several weeks straight with Hatter and Mallymunkin's training was wearing on her very being and yet she was getting much better. He rarely caught her off guard anymore and he had recently been trying to teach her his hat trick move.

The peace they shared had remained, but the pain of her not being Alice never faded from his eyes. She had gotten used to the madness that was Underland, including the occasional flying object when the March Hare was active.

Groaning she painfully settled against a beautiful tree, with fair yellow blossoms before her eyes found Mallymunkin working on some of the new moves for Alysia's training. She was never an athlete or gymnast, but now she could probably win a gold medal if given the opportunity. She was in the best shape of her life and had noticed most of her body was solid muscle, any sign of remote flab being long lost weeks ago.

"You look ill." Alysia glanced up slowly to the voice above her and spotted Cheshire staring down at her, his green eyes with a familiar gleam and his smile wide as ever.

"No, just tired…this was much harder than I thought it could ever be Cheshire." His smile disappeared with a concerned look; none of them had considered that the wear on the girl would cause her to look so sickly.

Alysia glanced up to speak and found to her disappointment Cheshire was gone, she had grown fond of talking with him and Mctwisp. Their helpful encouragement had stopped her many times from biting of Hatter's head, the peace being an ease to all of them and yet it was just one word that send them both of the edge.

Hatter finally made his appearance talking with the feline that had left her, Mallymunkin stopped in her work and the three friends gathered. The discussion being Alysia's health, the very lack of it and how exhausted she appeared each day and how regardless of their need it would be useless if she grew sick.

Alysia slowly slid down the tree and come to rest her head on her knees, she could wait them out and decided it the perfect opportunity to rest until she had to again begin her training. Hatter silently walked across the distance to her side, kneeling down he saw her eyes were closed and frowned.

There was darkness under them, her hair floated limply down her back and her whole look gave of weak, tired and ill. He knew nothing of her world but in their world he was sure she couldn't handle how they worked, her body had yet to adjust to her new home.

"Alysia?"

Hearing Hatter's familiar soft voice, she did not open her eyes, but did acknowledge she was aware. "Hmm?"

"Are you well?" Reluctantly she opened her eyes and froze noting he was closer than she was used to and intensely studying her.

"Well?" confused she saw his eyes were a pastel yellow and tilt her head seeing the concern in his expression. "Just wearing down is all Hatter, I'll be fine once we start."

His eyes changed to a soft green, it was clear he didn't believe her but seemed reluctant to admit it. She rubbed her eyes sleepily before hearing the familiar thundering of the Bandersnatch coming their way, smiling she made a face when the beast licked her face forcing Hatter to fall back on his backside and wipe the slobber from his own face.

"Morning Bandersnatch," She offered ruffling his coarse fury head and noting Hatter smile wryly at the animal, it had been common for the creature to do this each day for the last few weeks. "Start?"

"Very well," Hatter gave in even though he could see she shouldn't be working herself so hard.

Alysia was way off her game that day, he had easily caught her several times and this being the case she found she was much more tired than she could have guessed. The last time, Hatter caught her weapon and pulled it away from her; he placed his sword back and noted her watching him.

"You are too tired for this today."

"But-

"He is right Alysia; you can't work yourself to this extent." Intervened Miranna who had come down at the request of the Mctwisp via the Hatter. "You're body isn't used to Underland or the difference from your world and I fear you haven't had the necessary sleep for all the work you've accomplished.

"I don't know enough, this is-

"You've learned well Alysia; don't argue with Miranna and rest." Hatter tried getting looks all around including a stunned descendent.

Since she started she had never known Hatter to argue against her training, now he was arguing for her welfare over the safety of Underland and it stunned her so much she gave into the waiting queen at her side, the white queen smiling softly as she led the exhausted woman aside.

Miranna had given Alysia a sleeping potion with healing in it in hopes of getting her back on her feet. The Hatter coming in not long after seeing the queen watching silently over the sleeping woman, a warmth in her gaze he had seen given to Alice many times. He found he was getting used to the idea of Alysia being there in Underland, he just had not gotten over the fact his Alice was gone.

"How is she Miranna?"

Her dark eyes found the long lost Tarrant Hightopp, one she had not seen since Alice chose to fix her life and had never returned. "She will sleep, I had forgotten how hard it is to get used to Underland when being from above. Alice had made it so easy; Alysia doesn't quite have all her ancestors talents. She will gain what she needs in time." She covered her lips in fear of upsetting Hatter; she had forgotten his pain since she noted his better changes.

He winced, but said nothing to the subject of Alice. "She may have more than we ever thought." He offered reluctant to admit he saw Alice in Alysia each day during her training.

"Tarrant, may I say something?" He was not so sure he wanted her too; he felt a strange need to flee but nodded allowing it. "I know you loved her, she loved you and chose to spare you the pain of knowing she had forgotten until it was too late. Alice would not have wanted you to be unhappy, Alysia can stay…perhaps you can care in time?"

His eyes turned slightly pink, she had known the anger and hurt was just under the surface and wished she had kept it to herself. The peaceful Hatter was much easier to deal with. Slowly he turned to leave, hearing Miranna's soft apology before he disappeared to the gardens. It had been his sanctuary since and probably would remain.

Alysia slowly opened her eyes, the full moon causing her to blink. Groggily she glanced around her darkened chamber for signs of life. Slowly it all come back to her, she wondered how long she had slept and how much her training would have suffered. She jumped seeing a figuring lingering in the room, staring out into the night.

_"Hatter?"_ It was strange he was there watching over her, it was usually Miranna or someone else when she was in this sort of shape. She heard him ranting to himself. He sounded furious, frightened and confused, three things she was so used to she let him be and rolled over to face away from him.

She would let him be.

"Awake?" Alysia heard him and slowly rolled back to face the window.

His eyes were eerie in the dark, changing quickly enough that she could not catch the colors. She was reminded of that morning at his worried look and smiled for his benefit, she was still very tired and reluctant to move.

"Somewhat." Alysia answered seeing a faint turn of his lips. "Thank you for stopping me today, otherwise I may have passed out on the ground." He shrugged still focused on his darker thoughts of the days. "How long have I-

"Three days." Hatter saw her startled look and indicated the potion bottle at her bedside. "Miranna tried to adjust you to Underland, the easiest way is to sleep." She eyed the clear bottle with distaste; she remembered the bitter taste of the potion before shifting to the edge of the bed.

"Another thing I don't have." She saw him nod, she did not have to say why she was not like Alice, and both had an understanding. "What do I _actually_ have?" she sighed rubbing her face and realized she did not ache as she had before; the potion seemed to work on that too.

Hatter saw her green eyes were full of self-loathing, his conversation with Miranna the day she took the potion still too fresh in his mind. "Determination," He had three days to mull over her words, he would not say no to her suggestion but the pain was still too great to give it any thought.

Alysia chuckled softly; it had been the trait her mother hated most. "Is that a positive aspect on my character?"

"It's your personal muchness." Hatter saw her smile falter, her eyes searching him for signs of change.

She had not heard this tone before; it was a sort of acceptance and bitterness rolled into one. She felt ill at ease, but found her lips lifting into a smile nonetheless. He bid her goodnight before leaving her to her own thoughts.


	11. Assassin's & Spies

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: Almost done, know its been a while but I guess I can only write when I have time to do so. Inspiration is few and far between lately. Real life is a whirlwind of chaos so I hope to get my stories finished and others up. For now this is what I managed, hope it at least satisfied you for now. ^_^ __  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: Heartbreak Warfare<br>**

"He is preoccupied I see." She started finding the source of the voice belonged to Absolum, his blue wings lazily moved from his perch on a large white flower.

Alysia guided Hatter down on a stone bench before directing her attention to Absolum, the reason she was there and knelt down to get a better look at him. She studied him for the longest of time before sitting Indian style and gathering her wits.

"Someone of the red queen's court was within the gardens; it would seem it was the Knave of hearts. At least that's what I can gather from his continuous words." Alysia frowned turning concerned eyes toward Hatter. "How did you know I was Alice's predecessor or any relation to her?" her one question that never left her mind just made it in the discussion without her thinking about it first.

Absolum seemed to hesitate, and then he shifted on the flower. "You have Alice's determination; I followed Alice and know much about her family history." Alysia lifted a brow at that before finally getting why Hatter disliked the butterfly so much.

"You could have eased his suffering and reminded Alice."

Her sharp reply shook Hatter out of his mad induced rant with himself, slowly he turned at the last part of that discussion eyes shifting to an off green yellow color. The colors of his clothing became slightly muted before Absolum met his gaze.

"I tried, she didn't know who I was…when she did remember, she asked me what to do and I told her she would have to decide."

Neither noticed Hatter's eyes redden and darken to an almost black tone. Alysia saw the briefest tint of ebony colors out of the corner of her eye before she reacted and wrapped her arms around the Hatter forcing him to stop short of squishing Absolum in his rage. Absolum wisely got out of range before the pair went toppling to the garden floor.

She held on unsure of what else to do, she did not get a single word of Hatter's verbal rage but she knew enough to just hang on and hope he come out of it. Absolum remained well out of reach while the Bandersnatch made that odd sad tone staring at the two people, one struggling desperately to keep the easier to deal with Hatter in control.

_"HATTER!"_ the shout so close to his ear forced him to snap back to reality, slowly he realize Alysia was holding onto him for dear life and trying to stop him from doing something he would later regret.

Much later but at least he would regret it.

"I'm _not_ fine." He breathed glaring up at the out of reach Absolum his eyes still red regardless of his calmed state.

"I know." Alysia manage trying to catch her breath refusing to let go of the man pinned under her and hoping he somehow gained his senses, at least as much as he could in his current state. "Absolum is stupid for giving her the decision, he should have tried harder but killing him isn't bringing her back. I wish I could, but I can't…all I could do was ask." She added wishing she knew what he was thinking.

The back of his orange haired head was not the best way to read him; his clothing was still tinted dark, which she knew meant he was angry. She reached out taking his hat gently in her hand and held it out before she released him and rolled to the side. She steadied herself on her feet watching him slowly get to his own.

He stood still engrossed in his fury with Absolum; in the meantime, Alysia hesitantly put his hat back on and dusted off the leaves clinging to his clothes. Taking a step back she waited to pounce in case she let him free to soon, luckily for her the butterfly was wise enough to remain out of his reach.

"I'm truly sorry Tarrant." Absolum left knowing it would be easier on the girl watching on warily for signs of another attack.

Hatter deflated at the apology, slowly he sank to the stone bench he had moved from during his attack and covered his face. Alysia caught his hat in her hands before gently placing it beside him; she settled on the ground leaning back against the Bandersnatch and remained silently watching over the Hatter much as he did the night she found him guarding her.

Stayne was searching the Outland's again leaving no cave unchecked; he was not in the mood for Erazabeth's childish sweet talk or the flirting she still attempted. He loathed her and had his own plans for a slow painful death for her, although her living at present was useful to him and he was again looking for what she was sure existed.

Four days and more caves than he could count, he had seen nothing of the hidden object she was sure the Jabberwocky had left behind, for that matter he had no idea on how the thing could exist.

"Sir!" turning to one of the red card soldiers calls, he rode off to find out if it was good news or useless yet again.

"What is it?"

"One of the gorillas found it…we think." He added seeing the one good eye of the man narrow angrily.

_"I hate him."_ Hatter despised Absolum with all of his being, he felt even worse knowing that the butterfly and all wise one could have done him one courtesy and let Alice decide if it was wise or not. He saw no point in anything, at the very least Absolum could have brought him some sort of message from her, anything was better than the black hole feeling he had in his heart.

"You deserved at least a simple goodbye Hatter." Slowly his eyes found Alysia, she was watching over him like the Bandersnatch making that awful sad sound he had heard too often as of late.

"I did…maybe." He sighed glancing up into the darkening sky, he heard rustling off to their side and noted the Bandersnatch tilt his head with a light happy sound. "Mally?"

"You two are hard to find, Miranna was worried and so I volunteered to find you both." She come rushing out of some leaves and hopped up beside Hatter.

"Just dealing with a very long day Mallmunkin, I'll go let Miranna know we're fine." She felt Hatter wished to speak with the mouse and stood leaving with the Bandersnatch following after.

Clearly the animal wanted to protect her, she wondered if it was because of Hatter and decided to just wonder. He was in enough pain, she wanted to relax and make her way back to the castle. Walking silently in the growing darkness now had her ill at ease, the sanctuary she had been in was invaded and now it seemed somehow sinister.

She was safe, that was clear by the Bandersnatch at her side but she worried for her friends that were not so lucky. The rebels that Miranna watched over were also something she thought of, often she wondered if it was time to stop training and fight. She was terrified of what would happen if she went to war, her once turn tail and hope for the best was no longer part of her character and that was what scared her most.

Lost in her troubled thoughts she did not notice Miranna at her side until she reached the doors of the palace. The delicate porcelain colored hand gently touching her arm forced her to start in mild alarm.

"I am pleased to see you are well, is Tarrant well?"

"He's alive, well would be a stretch." She saw the dark eyes watch her closely. "I asked a question to Absolum, I think the butterfly offered more than he intended and it took all I had to keep him from being a splat in Hatter's hands." Miranna winced at the imagery before her lips turned down slightly.

"He knows the truth?" Alysia nodded seeing her sigh before gently wrapping her arm with Alysia's. "It is best; I just wish it hadn't been so hard on Tarrant."

"I think I bruised him keeping him down until Absolum fled." Alysia offered wincing at the bruise across her own stomach and ribs.

"I see." Miranna smiled warmly before taking her to her room and to heal her again.

"Are you alright Hatter?" he had returned to the palace hours later, settling against the rooftop balcony and staring into the sky.

"No." he stated sourly before turning his attention to Miranna and scowling darkly at her knowing look. "Don't please Miranna, I don't want to-

"Alysia is pacing her room; she is very concerned for you." Hatter lost his voice eyeing Miranna distrusting of her motives for this topic. "I know you're feeling, but at least she has found a friend in you over time. It is better than the loathing you two shared." He sighed glancing back up at the sky.

"It hurts Miranna, more than I thought." She walked silently to his side, there was Hatter's, the kind one and the one on the verge of violence at all times.

She could see they would always be at odds with each other. "I understand. You do need your friends though, the best of people are always mad…Alysia has to be to keep training and fight for us. This could destroy her." She added seeing his eyes shift sharply to an almost gray color. "Since she has never fought, how do you think this whole thing will affect her? Alice was much stronger, Alysia is not Alice, as we all well know. She may need your help more than you realize." Miranna slowly turned to leave him to think over her words.

Alysia glanced out at the moon before her eyes fell to her weapons; Miranna had talked with her much about her history with Alice and what was possibly going to happen. Alysia hated the unknown, she felt obsolete in her skills and still had not learned Hatter's hat trick he had tried to teach her countless times. She felt like she was drowning and at the same time failing Underland.

"Alysia?" She scowled at the butterfly landing beside her hand as she rested on the railing of the balcony watching the sky.

"I don't want to talk to you any more than Hatter."

Absolum huffed indignantly before fluttering up to meet her hard gaze. "You have to listen, Alice never told me anymore…she may have left something in your world."

"So you expect me to go home and find it? I'm here for good and I don't mind that fact." She ignored the butterfly that hovered in front of her face.

"There may be a way-"

"Absolum!" at the mention of his name by the dark tone he flew off fleeing into the darkness.

Alysia turned surprised by Hatters' warning tone before seeing his eyes shift rapidly in color again. She sighed ignoring Absolum, even if there was a way, she found she did not care and did not want to go back. She realized with a start she was happy, she loved her new world and felt quite content regardless of the impending doom in her future.

"Ignore him, I do." Hatter came into the light of the moon, his lips lifting into a soft smile. "How are you?"

"Exactly how you think." Alysia offered a sour face toward the way Absolum left.

"Homicidal." She stated before resting against the pillar behind her and glancing back up to the sky. "I'm glad you made it back safely."

Hatter shrugged before he turned seeing her green eyes were studying him hard, even in his state he could see the conflict in her gaze and understood Miranna quite well. Alysia would have to fight, she would have to rage a war and it may very well break her. She was trained well but like everyone had her own weak points, he had to get her to learn his hat trick and he needed her to use it for her own safety if it came down to it.

"Any progress?" She sighed knowing exactly what he was referring to.

"No, Mallymunkin managed to prick me again." He smiled slightly; at least Mallymunkin had learned to accept her presence. "I don't think I'm ever going to get the hat trick." He tilt his head at her tone, he did not like surrender as much as she seemed to favor it.

"Get your sword and come with me."

"Huh?"

Hatter started out of her room before she could get an answer, she quickly followed with her weapon in tow. She found herself being led back to her training grounds and groaned, it was too late for swordplay and she was exhausted from the long day as it was.

In the darkness for some reason she felt more at ease, she kept up with him much better than usual and even managed to turn his own sword on him as he had taught her. After much debate and coaching she finally managed the hat trick, he eyed her seeing her step back stunned at how easily she finally got it.

"Very good," Alysia gently handed over his weapon seeing his half smile greet her in approval.

"Thanks." She still did not get how she managed to do it.

"With no one watching you, you finally got to understand your training in your own way. It made this a lot less complicated." Slowly she noted they were the only ones present. "Now that you know how to do it, an audience won't be a problem." She smiled at that before bowing slightly.

Stayne after much debate with his spies finally gave into their stories of the girl becoming a great fighter and how Hatter seemed to put aside his issues to help. He found it ridiculous after what he had witness that one time, but if it was true, Hatter could teach her a great deal. He also disregarded other rumors of more assassination attempts on the girl; he had stopped every one of them.

The faithful to the red queen usually ending up on the receiving end of his sword, he had returned to the gardens noting the tree he had attacked had been healed. He wondered if he had been found out, but risked another chance at spying on the group.

Hearing things at night proved to be interesting enough, ignoring the tree that moved in his grasp he climb and saw the pair fighting. She was good, if he wanted to admit it, excellent now and she had obviously learned a lot.

He observed both Mallymunkin and Hatter's styles in the girl, he watched on his mouth parted in surprise when she turned his own hat trick on him. He never saw that move performed by anyone but Hatter and Alice; this girl seemed to acknowledge the move in surprise before being appraised by Hatter.

"I think you will be very ready for the fight Alysia, you have found what you need in yourself to help us." She felt odd, she could not help but wonder if Hatter had stopped Absolum out of fear, his eyes had shifted so much then she was unsure of what he had been feeling.

She gave into her inner demons arguing with her. "Why did you cut Absolum off?"

Hatter's pleasure faded, his eyes shifting so quickly she again could not decipher what he was feeling. He grimaced, it had been a secret between them all and Alysia had not been told for reasons that he was sure, that Miranna indicated would break her.

"He didn't need to make things worse." Hatter dodged an exact answer noting it did not seem to affect her.

Alysia saw the shift in his eyes again and cursed the darkness for hiding the only way she could read the Hatter. He went to speak again before both were aware of the change in the garden; slowly they both lifted their weapons eyeing each other before both looking toward the healed tree.


	12. Friends, Love Or Nothing

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

_A/N: I was repetitive sorry, didn't think to change my message. *face palm* Anyway, one more chapter or two and this is finally done. ^_~ __  
><em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: Friends, Love or Nothing<br>**

_"I feel like the victim in a horror movie."_ Alysia slowly flanked Hatter, keeping her eyes close to the direction he was watching. She knew the dangers thanks to her time in Underland, now she would have to be very careful, she would have to put her training to real use.

She wished the Bandersnatch had come with them instead of snorting at their presence before going back to sleep in his spot at the castle doorway. She yelped ducking when all she caught was black flying overhead and landed harshly backward. Hatter had his weapon at the ready and she heard the distinct clang sound of swords hitting together.

Her eyes focused in the dim light cast by the moon, a tall man with long dark hair and a scared face moved against the Hatter. A patch over a severely ruined eye, but she could see his good one seemed effective enough for him to give the Hatter trouble. She rolled out of the path of the pair, seeing the cape snag on a branch before the figure jerked free and sent Hatter sharply backward.

Alysia did not know why, she just knew he was attacking a friend and she caught the sword before Hatter was on the end of the sharp point. His eyes shifting in the darkness found her glaring up at the Knave of hearts while he eases himself over getting his sword.

"Be careful!" Hatter warned seeing she understood whom her enemy was, she caught him blow for blow seeing Hatter regain his footing and weapon.

"Who are you?" Stayne hissed his eyes never faltering from either of his opponents.

Alysia remained silent on her identity forcing him back and ducking as Hatter took over, at least they made a good team and with that, she felt more confident in herself. She watched periodically switching in when Hatter would be caught off guard, she now understood the concerns with Stayne and with that understanding, she let Hatter again in before the noise caught attention of others inside the palace.

"Hatter! Alysia!" Miranna's frightened voice distracted both long enough for Stayne to get a clean swipe at both parties and get back over the wall to safety.

"Flesh wound." Hatter winced catching his arm seeing Alysia holding her side; she glanced at the wound and sighed.

"Same." A raging Bandersnatch that went after the retreating figure, only catching a piece of cape in its mouth before the fiend escaped and with it a snort of distaste, greeted both.

Inside the palace during all the commotion both were taken to by Miranna to be taken care of, Alysia had led the way to her room dragging Hatter with her trying to maintain her sanity while everyone in the palace and some that were within the grounds under sanctuary fretted over the news of Stayne's attack.

The Knave of hearts was very much a real problem and she now understood it very clearly.

Alysia listened to Miranna fret over her side, while seeing Hatter wince at the care given to him by Mctwisp. Both met eyes before each in turn showing their dislike by rolling their eyes, apparently she had rubbed off on him in some aspects. Grinning she gently stopped Miranna's rantings of how she let security slip by touching her hand.

"It wasn't your fault, he came in the way of the tree we discovered and you healed. Stayne knew what he was doing Miranna." The queen stopped worrying long enough to glance over at Hatter, he nodded in confirmation.

"Oh dear, it's getting so much worse Tarrant…what do we do?"

"Worse?" Alysia saw Hatters eyes shift again; she wondered what color they were then.

"Not like we suspected, he was looking to see her progress. We have to be on guard." The riddle of the Hatter was getting on her last nerve; slowly Alysia stood and directed her attention on the three of them in the room other than herself.

"What are you hiding? Hatter why won't any of you tell me?"

Miranna and Mctwisp both knew why, it was clear he liked Alysia's company regardless of the hurt he was suffering through. They knew the idea of a way back would break him; he lost one that way and clearly, whether he admitted it or not he did not want Alysia to leave too.

"If you care it should be told." Miranna softly stated seeing Hatters eyes shift, his dark look did not ease her worries or offer a pleasant reply in turn, for her speaking up.

"No." he stated firmly before standing disregarding Mctwisp's protest to his sudden movement.

"Hatter!" Alysia's tone was one of frustration and distrust; it was enough to break his will again.

"Miranna, don't." he wished he didn't sound so hurt, Alice was gone and even though he couldn't bring himself to admit Miranna may have been right, he didn't want Alysia to leave too.

"I have to Tarrant, it isn't right to deceive even if it is painful." He left the room; he did not answer Alysia's plea to get back or the order to do so.

After he evacuated so quickly Alysia wondered if she did want to know, Absolum had tried and now that she understood the grief it seemed to cause it troubled her. Miranna softly told Mctwisp to find the Hatter before her dark eyes found Alysia's green worried eyes.

"In the Outland there is something that could possibly send you home, Tarrant is worried you won't come back. You have become his friend, he-

"He's afraid I will forget."

Miranna nodded seeing her understanding to the problem. "What is in the Outland that has that kind of power Miranna?" She cringed before glancing out of a window.

"A baby Jabberwocky,"

"The blood of the Jabberwocky is what sent Alice home," Miranna nodded again finding Alysia's gaze. "It is why she forgot for so long."

"Yes, I think the baby will be less potent…you won't forget. You need to decide where you _need_ to be, not where you are forced to be." Alysia got it, because of the idea of being there, forever she had given in to staying to easily and it had alarmed Miranna.

"He doesn't want me to go." Alysia said ignoring the dark gaze on her.

"It can't be his decision, it is that complicated."

Alysia being left with this stayed in her room to stare across Underland, she had some hard decisions to make and tried to clear thoughts of Hatter from her mind. She could not let his past collide with hers; it would not be fair if she truly was not meant to stay.

Hatter never showed on the training field that day, Alysia found his lack of presence disintegrated her need to do so without him. She smiled at the night fight they had last night, they had done so well together and she had finally found herself fond of the mad man. She did not have the need to fear him or dislike him anymore and the decision she had made she knew could change everything.

"Alysia, what are you thinking?" Mallymunkin had given up on training her that day, it was clear she was not going to attempt it without Hatter.

"How much he's been hurt and what will happen after it's all over."

Mallymunkin's eyes hardened, her ears pinning back, as she understood Alysia's words all too well. "We were wrong; you are Alice…all over again." She moved away leaving Alysia; she did not see the sting to the girl's eyes or the regret that lingered at her words.

"SHE CAN WHAT!" Stayne cursed himself for telling Erazabeth anything, this would only make her realize her assassination attempts on the girl had failed and he had done so as well.

"She can fight, Hatter taught her as well as the door mouse." The queen's face was so red, he had to wonder why her giant head just did not explode and save him a headache.

"Off with the entire assassin's heads, every one of them that failed." She snarled before standing her dark expression scaring her servants into trembling and fleeing her wrath. "Gather the army, we attack."

"The baby?"

"It has been found, he is the secret weapon." The red queens' evil smile made him wonder if they would fail again, she had a knack for being over the top.


	13. Who am I Living For?

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

A/N:

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Who Am I Living For?<br>**

"QUEEN MIRANNA!" Bayard's call did not go amiss and it was not long before she was rushing to the dogs' side, Hatter and Alysia coming at the very loud call even though neither had run across the other all morning.

"Your sister has her army headed this way, it isn't large but they are waving the flag and the Jabberwocky one as well." Miranna if it was possible paled so much Alysia come to her side, the Tweedles made sense for the first time since she met them.

"Miranna?" Alysia tried softly, her dark eyes found hers with a sad sort of smile.

"Tarrant, ready the army and Alysia dress in the armor…Alice wore it and it will bring you luck. The vulpus sword is there, you will need that…I fear." She nodded leaving them to do as she was asked.

Hatter froze his eyes fading to such a painful look she sighed. "I did not know she would find the baby Tarrant, I had hoped he was safe from her reach." He realized he might very well repeat his farewell to Alysia, he also knew Underland came first and he would have to deal with it as history repeated.

_"Hatter looked shattered."_ Alysia tried to silence those worries, Hatter would have to forgive her but she would not do what Alice did.

She had a plan, Absolum mentioned something left behind for Hatter and she would find it so he would have it.

While the army was gathering to go face the red queen, Alysia was gathering her own amour and focusing on her plan. She did not hear him enter while she was adjusting the metal guards around her knees nor was she aware of the multiple changes in his eyes and clothes.

"If you face the Jabberwocky, are you leaving Alysia?" she stopped what she was doing and turned seeing he was in the shadows, he left it so she couldn't decipher his actions.

"I have two homes Hatter, I can't choose unless it becomes necessary. I don't honestly know, being torn doesn't help." She did not want to answer him, but she could not just leave him hanging either.

_"She will leave."_ He did not need the answer she had given him, he already knew she would leave and he hated to admit it but it hurt like hell. He silently left, she knew he had seen her eyes and often wondered if she was as easy to read as he was. Shaking off her issues, she started out of the castle and was greeted with the Bandersnatch. She smiled knowing why he was there and climbs on.

She held on not forgetting her first time with the animal and was swiftly joining the others, everyone ready for a fight and heading to the last place Alice had fought to save this wonderful place, this time she hoped it would all be different.

The journey to the battle that raged ahead did not seem long enough in her case, she felt horribly like she had already failed before trying. She did not have the confidence she had the last time she fought, Hatter was upset with her and she felt it. They worked well as a team when he expected her to stay, she wanted to stay but finding closure for her friend was more important than what she wanted.

_"You care for the mad man."_ Alysia glanced down at the Bandersnatch lost in her negative thoughts, her inner voice was right but it meant nothing, Hatter's heart had already taken the woman he wanted. She was a descendent, not Alice and wouldn't be able to ease his pain if she didn't try to find whatever Alice left behind.

"Ready?" her gaze found Hatter at her side, his eyes shown mixed emotions and she knew it was her fault.

"No."

"You have to focus Alysia, otherwise you can be killed and a good start would be now." He added indicating the parting of the army ahead of them and the sight of an oddly small dragon like creature with fin like ears and hard gray eyes.

"What is that?"

"A baby Jabberwocky, much easier than the one Alice had to deal with but because it's so small it will be very aggressive…it needs to have its head removed." Hatter saw her swallow thickly, she was scared and he knew he had not made this easier. "I'm right at your side."

His words made her fear subside, he was telling her regardless of her decision he would fight with her. She was not sure, if it was a good sign or if he had already given up on her. She ignored her raging thoughts and was literally carted off by the Bandersnatch, clearly it was already decided the Jabberwocky was her enemy.

"She is going to fail you Miranna." Erazabeth cackled unaware of Stayne being the one in command and already planning her assassination during the chaos of battle. "That girl _isn't _Alice, she _can't_ win!"

_"I am tired of hearing that."_ Alysia realized with a start she was now on the checkered field laying face first in the dirt and the Bandersnatch was aiding Hatter, he clearly knew she was safe and left her shortly. She knew it was hard for the animal to protect her when he had been part of Hatter's life much longer.

She just managed to avoid an odd energy flying at her from the jabberwocky, the gray eyes hard and violent toward her. She did not know why it had to listen to the red queen, but she did know the stories and had a feeling it knew what happened to its parent.

"You're her…generation." Alysia alarmed by the fact the Jabberwocky knew she was part of Alice's lineage allowed the sword in her hands to guide her with her own training; she sliced into the side of the animal.

Roaring its tail flew at her sending her hard into a crumbling wall, she groaned painfully before muttering about her ancestor had been crazy and began to name of on how truly mad she must have been. Her battle was not faring well, she was hurting badly and bleeding, the latest attack forced her to wince noting something sticking out of her hand, she pulled the stone free and glared hard at the beast.

"Violence never solved a darn thing." She ducked in time to avoid her own head being knocked off. _"She was not mad; she was out of her damn mind!"_

She fled the attacking animal dodging around one stonewall, tree or forgotten stairwell after another. She only seemed to scratch the thick skin and took a swat at the tongue reaching for her ankle. She smiled at the writhering tongue at her feet before her eyes flashed, she was finding the muchness the Hatter said she had, that was part of Alice, the part that was her.

"WHOA!" She flew hard across the field and smacked into a solid form before groaning painfully and glancing up at a scarred face, his only good eye narrowing at her in hatred. "Crap." Her meek sound only brought out that ugly smile she found slimy.

_Clang_

Hatter was there taking out the Knave of hearts while she again dove into her failing battle with the Jabberwocky. Lost in her own fight she failed to notice Miranna was being tracked by one of Erazabeth's assassins, quickly she dodged the Jabberwocky and smacked into the attacker by mistake.

Miranna shrieked at the large snake, before it turned on Alysia and caught the Jabberwocky's energy from its mouth. "Takes care of that." Alysia apologized to Miranna before getting back into the field and fighting the creature, she was not failing her friends or her new world.

"She's going to die Hatter." Stayne managed to avoid his hat trick a second time, before noting the red in the Hatter's eyes and again dodging his attack.

Hatter was the best and he had to watch himself, he liked having a good eye and was well aware he had to win this time. He would rule Underland, not Erazabeth and it meant getting rid of the opposition.

"She won't," Hatter forced his blade nearly out of his hand. "She isn't Alice, she's her descendent and she will win." It worked, he got Stayne down but he rolled in time.

_"That isn't possible!"_ Furious Stayne went back into his fight with his rage guiding him.

"Enough!" Alysia finally fed up swung upward in an arch, the move was unexpected and successfully caught the young and violent Jabberwocky by the neck. "He should have been trained." She watched as the head flew up in the air and landed off to the side of the red queen, her eyes widened at the sight of a card removing a blade from behind her large head.

She rushed to the woman's side, she did not understand why but knowing she was Miranna's sister and of the White queens vow, she felt it best to do what she could.

"Le-ave me." Snarled the queen her blood staining under her.

"MIRRANNA!" she hoped her voice could be heard over the battle.

Miranna nudged her horse to Alysia's panicked voice, a sinking feeling taking over her heart as she come upon her sister in a pool of crimson with Alysia trying to keep her alive. Quickly she landed to the ground and run to her sisters' side, she held Erazabeth in her arms regardless of the red staining her white and saw the woman scowl darkly at her.

"Razzie?"

Alysia left the queens to resolve their own issues, she ran back into the battle hoping that her friends were still holding their own. This battle would not stop until the Knave of hearts was taken out.

Hatter went down and Alysia took over, repeating the battle in the gardens seeing Stayne's good eye meet her with venom in his expression. "You succeeded." She sent him back hearing Hatter get to his feet.

Again, the pair fought alongside each other, slowly gaining the upper hand on Stayne and it was not long before Hatter managed his hat trick. Stayne dodged it taking the Hatter's feet with him and forcing Alysia to lose her blade.

She saw him extend her blade to her. "A fair fight for Alice's descendent." His rasped seeing Alysia glance down at her unconscious friend and then at his sword.

"I'm not Alice." She muttered before reaching for her blade, she remembered what Hatter had taught her and what he warned her of.

She caught the handle of her sword before taking her knife and stabbing his arm, grabbing both swords with Hatter's hat trick, she created the scissor move around the Knave's neck and noted his good eye widen in shock.

"I'm Alysia Bradburn." Her eyes hard she saw Hatter slowly coming around at her feet and noted him lift a brow in approval at beating Stayne. "I also had the best teachers." She did not hesitate seeing the knife in his hand before she did what she swore she could never do.

Stayne's head rolled across the ground before she dropped to her knees exhausted and discarded the swords in her hands. The battle ended in a silent blur around her, the banished fleeing their forces and retreating to the Outlands. It was clear with his demise that the war was won, she saw Miranna holding her sister and sighed seeing her friend was broken hearted but there was a glint of victory in her eyes.

"She will recover in time; Erazabeth wronged her a great deal." Hatter was at her side seeing she was trying to recover and slowly she found his gaze.

She wished she had not, he was deep in pain and she could see it within the rapid change of his eyes and clothing. He knew she was leaving Underland and he was dealing with the past colliding with his present.

"I'm not staying when I go back Hatter, I'm going to look for something and I choose to live my life here when I return." He laughed softly shaking his head.

"You won't remember here Alysia, it won't change." She noted Mallymunkin glare at her before she disappeared to the crowd gathering the red queen's body for Miranna to have closure.

"Tarrant, I'm going back because there is something there and I _am_ coming back. Tell Absolum to beat me over the head and have Mctwisp drag me. I don't care." She left him gaping at her, it was the only time she had ever used his name.

She quickly walked to Miranna who was taking the Jabberwocky's blood into a small vile. Her dark gaze found Alysia's before her blood stained hand reached out with the offer. Alysia nodded, she had promised and would keep that promise.

She took the potion, she saw Hatter get to his feet and run to her but it had been too late to convince her to stay.


	14. One Last Time

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind._

A/N:

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: One Last Time<br>**

Alysia winced rubbing her head before pulling herself from a hole, for just a few minutes she had to think. Her jeans and shirt were muddy but overall she felt all right. Walking slowly back to the house she began to piece things together, she hadn't forgotten and in testing her theory she had only taken half the Jabberwocky's blood.

"I did it. I remember!" she twirled gleefully before faltering and staring up at the house looming ahead of her.

Running across the massive lawn, she got herself back into the kitchen and froze at her mother's dark stare. She cringed, even after the fight she had there was still the fact her mother was much scarier than what she had faced.

"Alysia Bradburn, how dare you-

"I love you mother with all my heart but I am going to _live my own_ life." She wrapped her arms tightly around her mother, ignoring the start she received before she fled past her.

Reed was still in the room working, she ignored his inquiring look before she thundered up the stairs and into the darkest part the attic. Falling to her knees she allowed her long fingers to pry at the tiny chest hidden behind years of clutter and opened the trunk. Inside she moved all the journals, stories and Alice Kingsley's life into her lap.

She stored them all inside of a bag and stood, her fingers clasping tightly to an envelope she tucked with care inside the last pages of the final Journal Alice left.

"Where are you going?" Alysia's mother demanded, her voice more worried than angry with her daughter.

"To a place of magic…I'm going to live and be happy." She again hugged her mother tucking a letter into her hands and turning to go. "It is impossible, but grandma told me to believe in three impossible things each day and you would know nothing is impossible."

Alysia fled down the stairs once again, she waved her finally goodbye to Reed and found her feet carrying her easily back to the tree. She was lithe and well taught for all fighting needs required. She stopped short of the hole she had found thanks to Absolum and turned.

"I promised, goodbye." She slid to a crouch and glanced down the hole. "Why does it have to hurt?" she sighed disappearing into the blackness.

This time she did not scream, she just waited for the painful landing. She observed more odd things floating past her than before but felt more at home than she ever had before. _"Home."_ She winced letting out a painful sound when she found herself planted on the familiar checkered floor of the room of doors.

"Ow." She rubbed her arms before getting to her feet and looking for the shrinking potion.

A sound off to her left inside a dark corner of the room forced her to freeze and remain on guard.

"Alysia?" Miranna to her amazement was waiting, her smile lit up the room and delicate arms wrapped around her tighter than she ever thought the woman was capable of.

"Yes." Alysia squeaked feeling the arms retract before she saw a bit of sadness among the mad gleam. "I had to come back…I-

"You care for Tarrant you went back to help him." She directed Alysia to follow her down the strange corridor, before she found herself staring around the kitchen lab area Miranna was often at work in.

"I think I dislike your sense of tests Miranna." She indicated how easy it would have been for her just be taken to the palace.

"It was also Alice's test." Alysia sighed reaching into the satchel she brought with her and handed her the stack of journals she treasured most. "What is this?"

"Alice's life, fill in what you lost during her absence. Where's-

"In the gardens." Miranna directed her to the door and she left quickly to the one place she hoped he would be waiting.

Mallymunkin furiously kicked around talking crossly about how she loathed Alysia, how she was no better than Alice was and again had broken her best friend. The March hare watched on in mild alarm before throwing something startling her out of her rant. He laughed seeing her pin her ears down glaring at him.

"He isn't at the tea party." Mctwisp rejoined them; so far, they had all searched the familiar places and come up without the Hatter.

"He isn't going to be found if Mally doesn't calm down." Alysia joined the others, seeing Cheshire poof at her side with the others eyeing her in shocked silence.

The Bandersnatch rushed to her side tackling her with a very wet kiss. She made a face before rubbing his ears and getting to her feet. She ignored the evil look Mallymunkin offered her before listening to how the Hatter had left after Miranna's grief day for Erazabeth. No one had seen him since and they had not found him.

Alysia tried to focus but Mallymunkin cursing her did not help, she did not understand what she was saying but knew it was not in her favor. She ignored the mouse, before gazing up at the sky seeing dark would be approaching soon.

"Did anyone check the battle field?"

"Why would he be there?" growled Mallymunkin before Alysia knelt eye level with the small mouse perched on the Bandersnatch's nose.

"It was the last place he saw me Mallymunkin, I promised and refused to break my word. I came back."

Reluctantly she wrinkled her nose before Alysia prompted them again; Mallymunkin reported they had not gone back since the battle. She mounted the Bandersnatch and gently put Mallymunkin on the ground before leaving them all behind and directing the animal beneath her.

"She just-

"Mally, she loves Tarrant." Miranna had arrived not long after Alysia left. "Alice may have won his heart, but Alysia is fighting to win it and keep it." Mallymunkin huffed in surrender; she still did not have to like it.

"You're here." Hatter's eyes did not focus on Absolum; he felt better living in regret and pain.

"Yes, here to tell me of Alysia's demise or hide it again?" Hatter even though he knew it had not been long enough already played out his future in his mind.

Alysia like Alice held him into this kinder form, he would revert to the wrathful mad man he was and go to the outlands, he would banish himself before hurting his friends.

"No."

Hatter looked up seeing wisely Absolum remained well out of his reach.

"She didn't drink all the potion…she may remember." Hatter laughed bitterly before attempting a failed grab at Absolum, he did not want any more interference in his life, he was empty as it was.

Alysia left the Bandersnatch a distance off before walking across the field, she saw Hatter where he had been before he tried to stop her. She winced remembering how he looked at her before she was gone, those haunted eyes never leaving her mind.

"I'm mad, it is the end."

"But only the best of the people are mad." Alysia silently stopped seeing him swing his head around before his body followed. "I promised." She saw him slowly approach, he was obviously guarded and worried she was not real.

She lifted the letter from her hand toward Hatter; slowly he touched the paper before his fingers brushed her hand determining she was real. He said nothing seeing the letter is addressed to him.

_ "Dearest Tarrant,_

_ I love you very much but I cannot bear to give you grief. I regret that I cannot return, you will always be part of me and I hope one day you can forgive me. I hope you can find your 'Alice' again. I have you in my heart and will forever. I am truly sorry for the hurt you must have to bear on my behalf._

_ Always,_

_ Alice Kingsley_

Alysia left him to consult with Absolum, she glanced up at him watching him flutter uncertainly to her offered hand. She took a breath before tilting her head and smiling. She told him of the events of her return and how she had to come back, how this was her home and she cared for someone dearly.

"Miranna knew as did I Alysia." Absolum saw her warning look before he bowed taking off, he would always be the council that Miranna talked to with her deepest concerns.

She turned seeing no sign of Hatter, circling in place she only found herself dizzy and annoyed she had not heard him sneak away. She began to walk toward the waiting Bandersnatch, her eyes settling on the last place she saw Stayne alive.

"Choices aren't always easy." She found Hatter near the Bandersnatch tugging burs from its fur. "It seems our friend got carried away by your return." He smiled seeing the animal lick at him before his pale green gaze found hers.

"That one was easy." She directed his attention to the envelope he still held in his free hand.

"All of this just for this?" She shook her head but kept silent on her other reasons. "There's more?"

"For now just leave it with that." He saw her eyes fall to the spot again; he noted her brow furrow in thought before she made a face.

"You had no choice-

"I know that, it's just strange being here…it looks like nothing happened." Hatter walked with the animal at his side before boosting Alysia up without warning. "Hey!"

"Miranna has wondered long enough, we need to go back." She turned seeing his eyes shift again.

"She didn't wonder, she had the whole castle looking for you and…Mally despises me all over again." He chuckled warmly at her upturned nose; it would seem she was not quite happy now.

"I can talk Mally down; after all…she is also one of your tutors in battle."

"She would rather put her pin through me."

Hatter said nothing more on the subject, he knew Mallymunkin well and knew she was his friend and protector whether he gave her permission or not.

"Hatter's back." Cheshire informed the grouping in the court before each person walked quickly to the gates.

"With Alysia." Miranna smiled at Mallymunkin's disdain before walking past, her dancers grace still intact regardless of her troubling events of the final battle with her sister.

"How do you feel?"

"Better." Alysia felt relieved she had eased Hatter's long discomfort for the moment; she knew it would be a while before Mallymunkin probably forgave her.

Overwhelmed by the various words of anxiety over his disappearance, Hatter was surrounded by everyone and all of them talking at once. Alysia wisely stepped out of it walking around to the only quiet one in the bunch. She settled beside Miranna offering the story of how she found him and how it would seem the letter helped him a great deal. She explained what she felt went wrong with Alice's return and how she was pleased; Alysia had shared her own thoughts.

"I'm glad you returned." Miranna met her eyes seeing a light there that had only come during her time around Hatter. "You may be closer to his heart than you suspect Alysia, time can do wonders and down here as you well know we have plenty of it, after all it seems Hatter had the talent to chase it out of Underland." Alysia smiled, she knew well the stories from her childhood on how Hatter had killed time and he was a spiteful being.

"I like being close to his heart." Alysia did not need to be courted, she found her soul mate in a mad man and for once felt at ease. "Mallymunkin may wish to put her pin there in mine though." Miranna laughed softly before easing into the grouping still hassling Hatter.

Dispersing their friends, it finally left Alysia alone with Hatter in their training yard. He sank slowly to the grass against the Bandersnatch and sighed glancing skyward. She stifled laughter seeing he was feeling like a small child being scolded ten times over, instead she sat down beside him seeing him slowly turn to her and then deflate a bit like he expected her to continue the previous lectures.

"I don't plan on badgering you." He let out a breath before his eyes shifted to a soft yellow; clearly, he was glad of that. "Did you plan on going to the Outlands if I didn't come back?"

In her mind that was the same as giving up his life, it was also suicidal considering the ones once faithful to Stayne being out there. His eyes turned a gray color indicating he had mixed feelings on whether he should tell her or not, she elbowed him giving him a dark look.

"I did." He finally gave in.

"They would have missed you and if you did it before I got back then what?"

"I don't know." He wilted a bit before her eyes, before she sighed shaking her head.

"Miranna would have told me and I would have come looking." Alysia stated hoping for some sort of a response.

Hatter went to reply to that before both of them thumped backwards seeing the Bandersnatch walk off, clearly it felt they could argue without his presence. They both watched him walk of snorting softly his opinion before the pair slowly sat up and glanced at each other.

"Come looking for me and then dragged me back here?" She nodded seeing him hesitate before his light green eyes found hers. "Why?"

"Because I thought of four impossible things," She smiled at his confused expression. "One, I learned to fight, two I helped save Underland, three I came back and four," She felt herself blush before she tilt her head slightly. "I learned to love the best of the mad people in the world."

Hatter did not know what to say, he sat there stunned for a long time and Alysia just waited patiently for her words to sink in. It took a little longer than she expected but slowly his eyes shifted to a soft yellow and he looked at her as if he was scared he was dreaming all of this.

"You're not-" she sighed leaning forward kissing him softly, she didn't really think and felt him start before he returned the kiss, hand gently resting against her face.

"I'm not what?"

"Too small or too tall." He smiled at the laughter that lifted his spirits, she fought to stay and Alice had freed him.

It was time to be happy, at least she had fought to return to him and that meant she loved him enough to fight for it.

"Tarrant?"

"Hmm?"

"I think the Bandersnatch got tired of the argument." He laughed both of them seeing the animal behind them lift his head before tilting it to the side. "What?"

The animal snorted before trotting over to his friends and slobbering his wet kisses and well wishes on them.

Making faces the two of them glanced at each other before climbing to their feet, hand in hand they started toward the palace. Underland was safe and Hatter found his Alice again only her name was Alysia Bradburn and she had come back to stay.


End file.
